Villains of Circumstance
by M. De La Cruz
Summary: Pro Hero Ochaco "Uravity" Uraraka's routine life gets disrupted when a raid she is involved in gets interrupted by a fairly unknown villain. As she pursues a new gang dealing in human trafficking, Ochaco gets entangled in a web of corruption, conflicting ideals, and something more frightening than any villain: falling for the uneasy ally she's made.
1. Prologue

There's no magic bullet, no cure for pain

What's done is done, 'til you do it again

Life in pursuit of a nameless prey

I've been so close, I'm so far away

It's so hard to explain, so easy to feel

I need you now, nothing is real

Save me from the villains of circumstance

Before I lose my place

_Villains of Circumstance_ by Queens of the Stone Age

_**Prologue: One Smooth Criminal**_

The late morning light flitted through the windows of the train cabin as it sped past hills of dense trees and the occasional cluster of buildings. His body rocked with the rhythm of the train. He sat in the front row, near the connecting doorway to the other cabin. It had been a quiet, easy ride so far, which was what he had hoped for. The unsuspecting passengers occupied themselves as best as they could to ride out the four-hour journey though typically it only took about three hours to get to Hosu. Today, however, was going to be a little different. He checked his wristwatch as he lifted his legs and planted his feet against the hard plastic wall in front of him. The person next to him gave a strange look, which he responded to with a haphazard shrug.

Suddenly, the train lurched to a grinding halt, tossing everyone forward from their seats. Cries and gasps of pain and confusion erupted behind him. For his own part, he grunted and stretched out his legs with an ache. He rubbed his kneecaps gingerly as he looked out the window. A blurry shadow moved in his periphery. More people cried out. It was showtime, he supposed.

A heavy object rocked the cabin from side to side as the unseen thing clambered up to the roof. There was a brief reprieve of quiet punctured by the metal ceiling groaning under the weight of whatever was on top,followed by a horrible sound of crumpled steel as a hole was ripped above his seat. Wicked claws with broad, sharp nails tore at the ceiling. With a bit of effort, the creature widened the opening and fell through with a heavy thud. He looked at the invader with some scrutiny, a bored glaze across his emerald eyes.

The villain was a hybrid of a muscular man and a shark. It was not who he had pictured when he staged this gif. Gray, textured skin stretched taut over bulging muscles. The shark-man was broad and hunched. He could see a visible effort from the villain to keep his webbed, clawed hands from dragging on the floor. The wide head with a short snout sat over a thick grin that split his face showcased the jagged rows of yellowed teeth. Coal black eyes peered out eerily with malice reflected in their depths. A voice called out from beyond the opening this hired crook had made.

"Hey, Megla! Hurry up, we ain't got all day. The pros'll be here any second!"

"You got it," the shark-man responded. His voice was moist and sloppy, as if he had trouble speaking. Megla stomped forward and pointed a finger as he did his best to take command.

"Now I'm looking for somethin' very special, and you're gonna help me find it. You heard my friend:; I don't have much time, so spill it: where's the loot?"

Turning around in his seat, his curiosity getting the better of him, he watched Megla with an arched eyebrow. It was hard to suppress the urge to pull out the notebook sitting in the satchel he carried with him to notate what he observed. Instead he watched Megla's movements and features closely as he threatened the passengers one by one. The shark-man (man-shark?) finished leering at a middle-aged couple, and turned his attention to a young teen sitting next to them.

She must have been no older than fifteen, with short blue-gray hair that was swept to the side of a horn protruding from her forehead. Her bright red eyes strained with fear as she quivered under Megla's murderous glare. He turned to look over the couple again. A tall, brawny, yet slightly pudgy man with fading ash-blonde-and-gray hair clutched his wife. She appeared to be just a few inches shorter than her husband, her long brown hair framing her round face with a permanent blush. The woman was doing her best to pull the young teen away from the villain that towered before them. _Bingo_.

"You look like you know something ya little sn-"

"Excuse me, but do you think you could wrap this up?" he asked, getting up from his seat, "We've all got places to be."

The reaction was almost instantaneous. Megla charged forward, the hulking mass of shark covering him in shadow, snarling a constant stream of insults. Compared to the bulky criminal, he wasn't much. He was just a little taller than the average height, his physique lean and slender, a pinched, round face looking up at Megla past the forest of green curls that hung low on his face. Freckles peppered his pale skin that spread softly as he gave Megla a smirk.

"You got something to say, shrimp?" Megla barked, his foul breath almost knocking the wind out of him. He did his best to hide his disgust as he pulled out a business card from his jeans pocket.

"Really? A fish pun? Whatever, just come here," he commanded as he curled a finger in an undulating motion. Megla was clearly confused and failed to hide it. The shark bent over with suspicion etched into his face. _Ah, this poor guy. Doesn't have a clue, does he? I don't blame him. He wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I hired him. Last time I do any remote planning..._

"Look, take this," he whispered as he slid the business card into Megla's hand, "Read it to your buddies and get the hell out of here. The pros will be here any second, and I already found what I was looking for."

Megla took a step back and turned over the card. The front was glossy, black, and embossed with the green outline of a grinning rabbit. On the back were instructions scrawled in shaky but measured lettering.

Understanding dawned on the villain's face, and he gave him a wink. With a jerk of his head to the ceiling, he stepped back and started acting out a classic bit he'd used many times before.

"Now, get outta here! I don't even wanna _see_ you around these tracks so help me!" He shook a finger at Megla before pointing it at the opening that had been created. Megla did his best to look admonished, though his confusion remained. He leapt into the air and was out of sight as he rallied his crew to escape. He turned around to look at the sea of peering eyes that stared out in astonishment. He gave them a sheepish grin as he rubbed his neck.

"I'm, uh, I'm part of the Endeavor Agency. Legal department. So, you know, I threatened him with the max sentence. Don't think he realized that he'd have to go to court."

The train erupted into cheers, many of the passengers clapping or hollering in glee. A few folks stood up and shook his hand vigorously. It never failed to surprise him how easily people could be herded in the right direction. A few simple words, the implied desire of a hired thug...some days it was just too easy. And now he was being praised for "saving" the train riders. Resisting the urge to shake his head in astonishment, he walked over to the scared teen now being calmed by the soothed by her neighbors. He gave her his best winning smile, the skin at the edge of his eyes crinkling just so as he squatted down just enough to be eye level with her. Time to finish the act.

"Hey, you doing okay?" She seemed to calm down as he looked at her with his warm emerald irises. Her only response was to bite her lower lip and nod. The elder gentleman gently released his wife and stood up with an honored expression as he held out a hand towards him.

"Uh?"

"Young man, that was one of the bravest things I've ever seen, and my daughter is a pro hero. I wanna shake the hand of the man who saved us from those thugs," the husband declared. He looked up at him and slowly rose to meet his handshake.

"What's your name, son?"

"I'm, uh, I'm I-Izuku M-Midoriya, sir," he stuttered. The gentleman and his wife both laughed softly at Izuku's shyness. Even the young lady perked up at his show of nervous energy . The husband introduced himself and his wife with a light-hearted openness.

"I'm Daisuke Uraraka and this is my wife, Saiko," the man offered. Izuku's eyes widened.

"Does that mean you're the parents of Uravity? Oh wow, she's one of my favorite pros right now!" he declared, gushing over Uravity's exploits and rescues. The Urarakas looked impressed and proud as they indulged in boasting about their "little hero" and how she was opening an agency office in Hosu. Izuku gave them a wistful grin before turning his attention to the teen who had warmed up to him slightly after hearing all the Uravity talk. He noticed that she had a small white purse with green accents and yellow-stitched lettering across its surface. Something clicked in his head, and he suddenly knew just where to steer the conversation.

"Oh, are you a fan of Lemillion too?" he asked gently. Her eyes lit up, and she gave a dazzling smile in return. An unfamiliar tightness compressed his chest, and he fought off the instinct to grip at his heart. He almost felt bad as he pushed forward with his plan. _Almost_.

"Y-yeah, he's an amazing hero. I think he'll be the next All Might," the young lady declared, her voice determined to stay at or below a whisper. Izuku nodded thoughtfully as he took an unoccupied seat in front of them so he could continue speaking with them. Twisting awkwardly, Izuku peeked past his seat to look them in the eye. He offered the girl a handshake, which she took with some hesitation.

"I-I'm Eri," she whispered with a shaky smile playing at her lips. He gave her a thoughtful look, and turned his attention to the static-filled speakers as the conductor announced that they would likely be disembarking soon.

"Considering the damage to the fifth cabin, we cannot continue to our destination. We apologize for any inconvenience."

Izuku gazed at the opened roof in silence while groans and complaints sounded around him. The Urarakas were fussing over whether to call or text their girl to let her know about the delay. Eri looked a little downtrodden on her own; she clutched her purse a little tighter. Izuku took notice and filed it away for later.

"Say, Eri," he began slowly, quietly, as he looked back at the hole, "Aren't you enrolling in U.A. this year?" Eri gasped and the Urarakas fell silent. He turned around with a sheepish grin. "What can I say? We hear a lot at the agency. So, do you think you could, uh, y'know?"

He tilted his head at the opening that let in the crisp spring air breezing through the cabin. The Urarakas looked at him curiously. Eri nodded and stood up, so Izuku replaced her in her seat. He leaned over to the couple with a sly look in his eyes.

"Get a load of _this_."

They gave him a strange look, but quickly turned as Eri began to climb up Izuku's abandoned seat. A few folks tried to help her get down but were quickly shooed away with a swat of her hand. She exchanged a determined look with Izuku before she touched the sundered roof. Her horn grew for a moment as she screwed up her eyes in concentration. A faint blue light emitted from her body, blinding the passengers that looked on. When the illumination ebbed away, the cabin stilled and no one spoke. Izuku gave his biggest grin to Eri. She was huffing and a sheen of sweat had formed on her forehead. The Urarakas looked in awe of the young lady who had been inconspicuously sitting next to if nothing had happened, the roof had been closed. There was a gleam in the ceiling, the material made new once again and brought to pristine condition.

The door behind Eri opened and a man dressed in the crew's uniform stepped out. He gawked at the ceiling and rubbed his forehead. The man walked away muttering to himself, gently closing the door behind him. Izuku stepped out of Eri's seat to let her back in, thanked the Urarakas and Eri for their time, and walked back to his own. As he knelt down and rummaged through his satchel for the worn notebook he had bought a month ago, he pulled out two gloves and slipped them on. Izuku reached behind him to his curved back and plucked a few strands of silver-blue hair that stuck to his hoodie. A sardonic twist crossed his lips as he put the follicles in a small vial. He sat back down and began to scribble away in his notebook as the train lurched back and sped away, the outside world blurring once again for the last leg of the journey.


	2. Finally Made It

Ch. 1: Finally Made It

Despite the multiple layers of clothes meant to keep her warm, Ochaco "Uravity" Uraraka hugged herself tightly and shivered. She paced around with an ever-deepening scowl on her round face. The surrounding noise caused her to dig her fingers deeper into her sleeves as her steps quickened. She breathed in huffs and fought back a pout. The train station in Hosu was packed with uniformed officers and brightly costumed Pros. Arching metal rafters curved meters above the ground, forming a concave roof of the train hangar. It was cold inside as the sun was blocked by gleaming plastic held up by those bent metal beams. Ochaco looked to the gaping train entrance and squinted at the blinding sunlight from outside that contrasted harshly with dimness in the station. She was half tempted to wait outside in the warmth for the damn train.

If it ever came.

Uraraka shook the thought out and resumed tapping her black flats against the concrete underneath the mesh bench. Detective Watanabe stood off to the side, rigid in her plain business suit. It had been some time since the office had spoken to Ochaco. She took notice of Watanabe's lifted shoulders and sighed. The pro hero calmed herself with a deep breath before standing up. She spoke up and did her best to keep her tone despite the anxiety and anger bubbling together horribly in the pit of her stomach.

"Hey, Detective?" Ochaco started, "You doin-"

"The train isn't here yet, Uravity. You'll be out of here in no time when it does arrive," the detective interjected with a terse, monotone voice. Ochaco's face pulled sourly, and she bit the urge to stamp her foot in protest. She rubbed her forehead and tried once more.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm just really worried about my parents. They're on their way here. Instead of being on their way to a vacation, they're stuck on a train that was robbed."

Detective Watanabe took a moment to look Uravity in the eyes. Understanding swam in her dark eyes and hovered there. She turned back to gaze at the empty tracks, silence overtaking their conversation. Ochaco sighed and sat back down, pulling out her phone once again to see if there was any news. It had been over an hour since she had received the notice from her office that her parents were involved in an illegal train boarding. The only good news that she got was a text message from her parents a little after the incident had been reported. It was just her luck. She had worked hard and finally managed to get to a level where she could give her parents everything they deserved, only for them to get wrapped up in some crazy train robbery. At least they were still alive.

She hung her head in her hands as she slumped on the bench. Ever the optimist, she began torturing herself over how delayed they were going to be. Getting a refund would be impossible (the resort was so strict!), and forget about buying new plane tickets. Irritation flared up in Ochaco once more, but this time it stung a little less.

Uraraka wasn't sure how much time had passed since she muscled her way into the way station, flashing her license and joining the throng of heroes who had flooded the area in anticipation. It was really stupid, if she thought about it. What were they going to do? Jump on the train and search it for crooks? As if. They'd be long gone with whatever they were looking for, and leave behind some hurt people at best. She huffed as the intercoms above her blared out the approaching train. In the distance roared the clik-clak of the trains wheels upon the track, growing louder as it came closer. The engine hissed wickedly as the vessel slowed down considerably to park itself before her and the rest of the crowd there. There was a pause that hung in the air before all hell broke loose.

Officers and heroes swarmed the train as soon as the doors slid open. The unfortunate civilians were squashed back into the cabins as they attempted to escape from their ride. It was pandemonium. Ochaco felt a growl half-escape her throat as she took her gravity away and kicked off to float to the top of the train. She landed gracefully and turned to the crowd below with finger pointed down. Mustering her best impression of her best friend Iida, she cried out in a commanding voice.

"Excuse me, but if you must enter the train, I suggest you form two lines on each side of the doors! You may inspect the people as they exit and then enter once they have all been accounted for!" The jostling stopped long enough for a burly, tall pro with his hands encased in large red metal clamps to call her out.

"Who da hell is this, chic-"

"Finish that sentence, and I'll float you to the sun! I'm Uravity, and my damn parents are on board this damn train. Now let them out before they're late for their damn flight!" There was some grumbling but it died quickly after she gave them all a dirty look. She jutted out her jaw as she supervised them, a bird of prey overseeing the production of a shaken flock of pigeons. It only took a few minutes for everyone inside the train to walk out and be cleared. Soon enough, luggage was being inspected and passed out to the appropriate owners. It was over. Ochaco searched the crowd for her parents, overhearing the passengers answering the police officers' inquiries.

"I swear! It was a shark! It had ripped a big hole in the roof. Then some scrawny lawyer for Endeavor tricked the bastard and left."

"Ok but if they ripped a hole in the roof, how come it ain't there now?"

"Some girl did... magic or something? I dunno, you gotta ask her, not me."

Ochaco snickered as she moved through the mass of bodies looking. A young man with a head full of curly green hair struck a suitcase with his bulky red high top boots and flailed a bit as he fell forward. She moved without a thought, fast as lightning, and tapped his back. He hung in mid-air and looked around to see what killed his momentum. She took in his shaggy, boyish appearance as she righted him back to his feet. He was sort of forgettable. Not bad on the eyes, just nothing too remarkable. Freckles dotted his round face, stark against his pale skin and bright green eyes. He would have been around her height if not for his clunky red boots which gave him a slight boost. He gave her a smile, his eyes lighting up at the sight of her own.

"Y-you're -" he sputtered. She finished his sentence for him.

"Yeah, I'm Uravity. Sorry for using my quirk on you. Didn't think it'd be ok for you to break your face like that." She gave him a small nod and craned her neck in her search. The man spoke to her in a meek whisper a few steps away.

"They're just past this crowd, Uraraka."

She twisted around quick enough to give herself a crick in her neck. Her body was on full alert as she darted her eyes to scan the area. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. She hadn't even noticed what other clothes he was wearing , if he had tattoos or scars. The only thing she could really remember were those burning, emerald irises of his. She felt something inside her squirm as she thought about them and mentally slapped herself. How did he know her name? Just who the hell was that guy?

Ochaco tiptoed around the small group of folks gathered behind her and found her parents chatting away with a young lady with a horn on her head and silver-blue hair. Her father noticed her immediately and bowled his way toward her. She braced herself as best as she could.

"OCHACO! MY BABY GIRL!"

Her dad wrapped his thick arms around her own, and swept the young hero off her feet. He swung her wildly as he spun in circles. Tears of joy streamed down her father's bearded face, moistening her skin. Her normally blushed cheeks deeped to a maroon as he kept belting out her name and how proud he was of his little hero.

"D-dad... can't... b-breathe..."

"Oh, I'm sorry baby, I just can't help it. Look at ya! Soon grown up and amazing," gushed her father. He put her down a little more gruffly than he normally would have, and began to complain loudly about his aching back. Ochaco's mother walked up to them, smacking her husband playfully before embracing her daughter.

"It's really good to see ya, sweetie," she cooed. Ochaco allowed herself a moment to enjoy standing in their presence, feeling how full they made her heart. It had been a solid year since she had seen her parents in the flesh. Their absence was filled with grueling work and long nights away from her humble apartment so she could finish up as many cases as possible. Today was for them. All of her hard work had finally come to fruition.

Well, it would if they could make it to the airport on time.

Ochaco began to fret and haul her parent's items, using her quirk to make transport easier. She rushed them away from the busy station which had begun to fill up with more folks piling in to wait for their own trains. Uraraka didn't even give them much time to say their farewells to the young lady they had been talking with. Their protests fell on deaf ears as she ushered them out of the station and into the blazing daylight of the busy streets. Ochaco was laser-focused on the cabs that were waiting just past the wall of reporters and paparazzi. She pushed through, half-heartedly apologizing for her own rudeness as she ignored the calls to answer questions from the hungry journalists. The press could wait; her parents' plane would not.

A line of exchanging taxi cabs moved in and out of the queue greeted them at the curb. Ochaco moved to the nearest couple of sedans but grew frustrated as they peeled away to join the flow of traffic. More cabs began to fill up and she felt close to shouting. Her father called out to her. Ochaco whipped around to see her parents loading up into the cab she had somehow missed. She approached them with a look of suspicion and bent into the open passenger side window.

"Afternoon, Miss Uravity!" the driver cheered out with a friendly wave, "I'm taking you and your parents to the airport, right?"

"Uhh, yes?" she answered, unsure of the sudden availability. Typically, cabs were a hot commodity during rush hour and finding one was nothing short of a miracle. She piled in after releasing her Quirk's hold on the luggage, her parents happily chatting with the driver as they began the long ride through stop-and-go traffic to the airport.

Ochaco pulled out her smart phone from her purse to check for any messages or emails that might have come from the office. It had only been a month since she opened her agency with her former classmate and friend, Mina Ashido. Things had been going well, if you didn't count the constant communication they received from their hired sidekicks. Ochaco had tried to be understanding but sometimes it grated on her when trained heroes couldn't make the simplest decisions for themselves or follow the easiest instructions. Judging by the number of emails she was now responding to, today was not going to be different. Her mother's voice cut through her clouded thoughts to grab her attention.

"Uravity! " her mother cried out in exasperation. Ochaco snapped her head up from the tiny screen in her hands. Her parents were looking at her with an unfamiliar edge to their eyes. She carefully set the phone down, afraid that any sudden movements might ignite them.

"Y-yeah, mom?"

"We are trying to tell you about this nice young man and this sweet girl we met on the train. What's so important on that damn phone of yours that-"

"Ugh, Mom! We've been over this a million times! Quit tryin' to set me up with guys! You know I'm taking a break after… ," Ochaco pattered out under the withering gaze of her parents. They hadn't been this upset with her since before she enrolled in U.A. She did her best to contain the disappointment that welled up in her. Before they could respond though, she heard the brakes squeal out in protest as the car rolled to a stop. The cab driver gave a bright smile as he parked the car and got out to unload the trunk of its contents. She followed her parents as they stepped out to the curb, waiting patiently for their chauffeur to finish his work while they politely ignored her. Ochaco's face burned with embarrassment as she hung back in silence.

The driver got back in his car and started to tap a little beat on the wheel. It was time to send her parents off. She hadn't imagined it would feel this bitter. All the effort just to get here and the sudden split left an unimaginable gap between her and her parents. Just as she was about to hug them goodbye, the driver called out to them with voice ever light with glee.

"Oh, Ms. Uravity? You can see your parents through the gate. I'll be here waiting until their flight takes off."

Ochaco blinked at him and the suspicion that had been scratching at the back her mind grew more panicked. She turned back to her parents with an uncertain smile plastered across her lips. They had softened their chilly grins to something a little more warm and waved her over.

Half an hour later, her parents had boarded the plane. Tears had been shed and apologies made. Even as she walked out of the terminal and back to the sidewalk, she wiped away a few drops that threatened to spill out from her warm brown eyes. There hadn't been enough time to say what they meant to her; how much their sacrifices for her pushed her beyond her own limitations; why she in turn sacrificed so much for them to live easy. It was enough to know that they were on their way to a vacation that she had earned for them. Soon she'd be able to help them retire.

Ochaco mulled over the future as she approached the rows of cabs expelling their patrons as the sun blazed low in the sky, burning the clouds with shades of purple and pink. She was about to hail a taxi when a soft voice coughed behind her. Uraraka turned around, an uneasy feeling pouring itself into her consciousness.

The taxi cab driver from before was standing next to his car, his ever-present grin still nailed to his face. With a jaunty wave of his hand, he opened the back passenger door and stood by to allow her in. Ochaco stood her ground for just a moment, sizing up the driver as his grin pressed the corners of his mouth even further into his cheeks. She couldn't pinpoint what exactly about him unsettled her, but her gut was hardly ever wrong.

"Do you need a minute, Ms. Uravity?" His face fell slightly when she hadn't moved towards the car. There was a nagging tug in mind and an idea struck her. It was a bit of a gamble but it could get her the answer she half dreaded.

"How... How much is the fare going to be?"

"Oh, don't worry, it's been covered!" he answered brightly. That was it. He had shown his hand, and she was not having it. She gently dismissed him knowing full well that he would push back. It took a few minutes of putting her foot down (and bribing him with a tip) before he retreated back into his cab. Ochaco watched his tail lights fade into the distance, getting lost in the wave of vehicles that engulfed the highway nearby. She gave it five more minutes before she caught the attention of a nearby driver and took off to her home.

What the hell was going on with the cab? The hum of rubber tumbling over the asphalt of the road provided her a soundtrack to think to. It was incredibly unusual for such an expensive ride to be covered already. Her parents wouldn't have been able to foot the bill and she was barely going to be able to cover it. A flash of smoldering emerald eyes crossed her vision and a light went off. It had to have been him. Maybe he was just a rabid Uravity fan? Or maybe her parents kept him company on the train ride? That was very likely; he wouldn't have been present if he hadn't come on the train. He certainly wasn't an officer or hero, dressed in his hoodie and clunky boots. Ochaco silently cursed that she hadn't gotten the number on the side of the driver's car. She could have called and asked for more information. Uraraka did everything in her power to keep any of the more sinister theories from rearing themselves in her mind.

When they had arrived at her building, she paid her fare and stepped up to the entrance. The brick face of the building hovered over the unshuttered, story tall windows that allowed any passersby to peek inside. Bright fluorescent light spilled out into the street, mingling with the neon illumination of the neighboring buildings' signs, glinting off the puddles of melted snow that began to encrust the ground with ice. A harsh breeze chilled her and she hurried to the door, digging into her purse for her cardkey. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise and she paused. There was something nearby, watching her. She could feel it. Uraraka turned around, but found that she was alone on the street. The only company she had were a few birds and empty cars that lined the streets. Cautiously, she swiped her card and entered the building. Her pace quickened to catch the next elevator. As soon as the doors opened with a soft bing, she exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

Ochaco didn't live lavishly by any means. Her cramped studio apartment was sparse with any furnishings, save for the few momentos that sat on the shelves of her slim bookcase or hung next to the window. There was a chest of drawers with a tiny flat screen television which sat across a pullout couch, parts of the stuffing peeking out where the seams had broken. Her "kitchen" was comprised of a built-in fridge which lay inside a counter top cabinet. There was a hot plate near the tiny sink. To her immediate left was the bathroom that could barely contain the toilet, shower, and sink. It wasn't much to look at but it was what got her parents that vacation they so deserved. She felt a swell of pride as she scanned the room that became soured when her eyes fell on the shabby box sitting on top of her couch. It was held together with packing tape and labeled, "Katsuki," in bold black ink. Ochaco felt her face pull down, the box silently mocking her in the dark. She scoffed as she flipped the dingy overhead light on.

Six months later and he still hasn't picked his crap up... she grumbled to herself as she walked over to the bookcase to tend to the few plants that sat on some of the shelves.

Afterward, Ochaco unceremoniously tossed the scruffy box to the ground, ignoring the harsh crinkle of something broken hopping inside. She turned on her T.V., changed into some nightwear, and heated up some food as she mindlessly watched the news. Her mind wandered, not really focusing on the report on the upcoming local elections. A rotund man's face spilled over his collar as he spoke about Hosu's crime rate. Spittle hung on the edge of his fat bottom lip as his harsh voice crackled out of the ancient speakers.

"We have criminals pouring in from all over the country. They're all afraid of Lemillion and their own competitors, so where do they turn? Hosu! It's a travesty! The Endeavour agency has done well in the past but it will be the police, not heroes, who clean up these streets. I will go to Parliament and demand that our fair city gets better funding to bolster our police departments' noble efforts."

Ochaco rolled her eyes. Part of her felt spurned that her agency was never named. It was young, yes, but she and Mina have been very active since they opened their doors. They worked alongside the heroes and sidekicks from Endeavour's office several times even before she'd signed the lease on her office. Shoto, the heir to the Todoroki empire and number four hero, had done his best to extend a bit of clout to her agency, but it was still an uphill battle. Despite their efforts it was a struggle to get included on some major cases. Not to mention that crime rates were actually down despite what a few loud-mouthed idiots would say. What struck her as strange about the statistics was that many people didn't attribute the claim to Lemillion. There were many theories out there, each more outrageous than the last, but the consensus was that heroes had nothing to do with it. Even some pros had thrown out the idea that something, or someone, else was at the helm.

Ochaco channel surfed as she slowly made progress on her warmed up dinner. Eventually she gave up and put away her food. It hadn't been a great or bad day, she reflected as she turned off the T.V. and lights. It had just... been. She knew it should have been more momentous, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that it was a mixed bag. Ah, that's how it went sometimes. Uraraka laid her head down on the lumpy mattress, and wrapped a thin blanket around her body. She'd wake up to a few text messages from her parents letting her know that they landed safely. She'd wake up to the same empty, but claustrophobic apartment. She'd wake up and go to her agency like she had for the last seven years, saving all of her earnings for her parents. Today was just the next step in a very long journey. She sighed at the thought as she closed her eyes. Ochaco felt the need for comfort and fell asleep thinking about a pair of green eyes that burned themselves into her memory.


	3. Just Outside of Routine

Ch. 2: Just Outside of Routine

Despite the sun's promise of warmer days ahead, Uravity couldn't help the shiver that ran up her spine as she watched from her perch. She was kneeling in the left hand corner of the roof of a small building, watching the large warehouse directly across from her. The street below was devoid of traffic and people. The quiet absence of activity struck her as odd but considering who she was watching it shouldn't have surprised her. Across the way was her target. They were a group of up-and-coming gangsters who were trying to make a name for themselves. Too small to capture the notice of bigger agencies, but too big not to ignore; these would-be villains had started dabbling into bigger ventures. Gunrunning, drugs, larceny- the works. Mina had been working closely with a local precinct to take these fools down, but they'd proven hard to pin down. A couple of months of stakeouts along with a few interrogations had resulted in Ashido and Uraraka acquiring sufficient evidence to convict these goons.

Now all they had to do was actually capture the bastards. Ochaco sighed nibbling away at the protein bar in her hand, peering through her collapsible telescope in the other. She hadn't been there long but it had been uneventful thus far. There were two lackeys sitting outside in the delivery area; several armed men walked around inside the warehouse with their stiff jaws set in their best grimace; there wasn't anyone on the roof above. Uraraka hurriedly whispered a few notes into her headset's microphone and resumed her sluggish observation.

The warehouse had long been abandoned, large chunks of glass missing from the windows and their frames covered in rust. Streaks of grime were smattered along its concrete face, the stone bleached from years of abandonment in the sun. It was dark inside and Ochaco could barely see the thugs walking by the windows if it weren't for the daylight breaking in through the jagged, cobwebbed glass. According to Ashido's research there were a dozen warehouses around that they were on the lookout for. It was only by accident, when Ochaco was chasing down a villain over the rooftops a few days prior, that she discovered the newly founded hideout. After some planning and coordination with their police contacts, they were ready to take these crooks out. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like they were going to get their chance today.

"I gotta talk to Mina about her damn informant. 'Arms delivery today,' my country ass," she grumbled. Nothing was happening. The truck Mina's inside person had promised still hadn't shown, and Ochaco felt as bored as the lookouts appeared. She decided to give it another hour before calling the raid off and rescheduling it for another time. Without any criminal activity, she couldn't exactly barge in with full might of the Hosu Police for loitering or trespassing. The hero stifled a yawn and idly returned to watching the warehouse, knowing full well that nothing was going to happen.

A minute or two passed when a large white van with tinted windows pulled into the delivery area. Ochaco halfheartedly perked up. It might not have been the largest weapons swap, but it was still enough for her to make a move. She watched as the driver got out and greeted the two guards who stirred from their seats. She could hear their indistinct voices rising up to her hiding spot, though it felt congenial in tone. The driver slid open the door and, to Uraraka's surprise, began ushering out a small group of people. Many had visible Quirk mutations, but the one thing that caught her eye was the long, silky black hair of a young woman. She, like the others brought out, was dressed in shabby clothes and her skin was littered with dirt marks. They shuffled forward while the guards waved at them to hurry through the door. What on Earth was going on? Ochaco bit her lip as she watched the driver follow in last and closed the door. Wasn't this supposed to be a weapons drop? She continued waiting, her eyes darting to every movement that caught her attention. Something was wrong. She could feel it.

Shouting howled out of the warehouse, startling her. The explosive flashes and crackle of gunfire from within the walls followed shortly. Ochaco was on her feet in an instant. She put away her spyglass and leapt down to the alley just below her left. Glass krinkled out of sight; a man's guttural screaming was cut short with a sickening thunk; more gunshots flared out. Uraraka stepped out of the shadows into the street. She turned her gaze to the a man hanging upside down, the snare around his ankle dangling him from a story up. Shards of the broken window sprinkled the ground directly below him. Was it another hero? Or worse: a rival gang making a move? The thought spurred her on faster, shouting into her headset as she pressed the comms button on the left.

"Pinky, this is Uravity! Get a move on, we've got shots fired and a possible hostage situation!"

"Shit! You're kidding me?" Ashido's normally bubbly voice buzzed in her ears, "Arrg! This is crap. When's something going to go right?"

"Mina! Focus!" Ochaco retorted as she ducked behind the empty van. She peeked over the hood to the closed door. It was wooden, rotted, old and barely clung to the hinges. Ochaco figured that the best way in without getting killed immediately would have been through the roof but there was that group of people to think about. She growled and darted out towards the entrance. To her left were lines of docking bays with closed up gates that should have been able to roll up had it not been for the rust accummulated on the outside rails. Ochaco sidled up to the door, her back against the adjacent wall as she called Mina once more.

"What's your ETA, Pinky?"

"Sorry, Uravity," came her partner's answer, worry dripping with every syllable, "We ran into some delays and we're about twenty minutes out. Stupid traffic! Do people not know how to drive in this town?! Hang tight. We'll be there soon!"

Ochaco rolled her eyes. She loved Mina to death. The pink skinned, acid hero was one of her dearest friends and they worked well together when Ashido could actually get herself to the fight. Uraraka shook her head, steeling her nerves as she kicked down the door. Her headset's lights reacted to the dark instantly. The dim light flickered to life and expanded to a few meters away.

She found herself in a dark, empty hallway. Heavy shadows coated the walls and her light barely gleamed around the broken tiled floor. Large chunks of plaster were missing, exposing the wires and beams that made up the sides. A few frosted windows with mesh wiring failed to reflect her headset light, the thick layer of grime and dust absorbing most of the illumination. Ochaco moved quickly and quietly as her boots would allow. She took the corners with every precaution, looking for any sudden movements or shifts in the shadows. Her background music was a violent symphony of screaming and gunshots which started to become more sparse as she ventured further down the hallways.

Eventually she made her way to an area filled with a rotting conveyor belt that spilled out of a wall. Next to the belt's entry were two heavy double doors with heavy gun damage, their circular windows looking out at her like a giant, bullet ridden owl. It wasn't a good idea to jump into the open but, as Ochaco checked, the conveyor was blocked by some collapsed equipment on the other side. She swore and weighed her options. It had grown quiet, the smell of gunpowder the only thing keeping her company. An image of blood flashed in her mind and she leapt through the doors without a second thought.

Beyond the doors was a wide, open space filled with broken cranes and left over barrels from when the warehouse was still operating. Above her rose the decaying bones of catwalks, landings, and stairs that were only suspended by what she assumed was magic. Directly in front of her was a slope of broken concrete flanked by hand rails. Large shafts of light managed to filter through the jagged windows to give some luminance to the gloom.

Ochaco vaulted over the rail to the right, hiding behind a stack of barrels for cover. She took a few beats before dashing out into the open. Uraraka popped right and took a readied stance as her eyes scanned the area. Her arms dropped in shock at the sight in front of her. Sitting smack in the middle of the floor in a heap, wrapped up neatly with thick cords of rope, was a pile of men. They were unresponsive, almost sleeping peacefully. There were scrapes and bruises sprinkled across their rugged faces as they all slumped against one another. Strands of drool hung low on the lips of one particularly rough looking fellow. Ochaco would have laughed if she hadn't been so scared. How did this many armed thugs get taken out? She knelt near them, careful not to make too much noise to wake any, and began inspecting them gingerly. A glint of light on the closest sleeve caught her eye. She tenderly touched the spot she had been looking at and felt a small, metal cylinder stuck just into the squishy flesh underneath the cloth. Ochaco tugged quickly and looked at the object closer. It was a dart that had been built like a bullet, the casing a sleek green, a tiny metal needle poking out at the end. She pocketed the dart for further scrutiny and walked away from the heap of men that continued snoozing in front of her.

Someone had beaten the authorities to the punch and was working efficiently. It had to be a professional team; no other way around it. Ochaco gritted her teeth and balled her hands into fists. She was surrounded and she didn't know how outnumbered she was.

In some ways it made her job easier. For now, she could focus on search-and-rescue for the people that had been dragged in. Let the leftover thugs fight whoever was picking them off. It would also make extraction really simple for the cops whenever they got there. Especially if whoever was responsible for the take downs kept up this business of gift wrapping their targets. She just hoped that she wasn't on the list.

Despite the chill in the damp, dark storage area, Ochaco felt a bead of sweat roll down her neck. She took in a few deep breaths to quell the rising panic in her chest. When she was back in control, the hero took off with pace to continue searching the building. As she navigated the maze of hallways, her legs burning in protest the faster she ran, her headset began to crackle with life. Mina's chipper voice came through to her welcoming ear drums.

"Uravity! We're on site and about to head in. Where are you?"

"Hey, Pinky. I'm inside looking for hostages. Be careful, I think there might -"

"You're what? Cripes, 'Chaco! You and I are gonna have a loooong talk when this is finished," Mina interjected, her voice soundly annoyed at her partner's rashness. Ochaco could only roll her eyes and stifle the ugly feeling inside her stomach that threatened to boiled up to her throat. She continued running through the halls as new, muffled sounds began to bounce around the dead hallways behind her. Gruff shouts, stomping boots, and shrill orders reached her ears when Mina called her again.

"Daaammmn, 'Chaco! Look at you, going all out on these guys."

"Mina, that's what I was tryin' to tell ya earlier. That wasn't -"

"Oh, don't give me that! If anyone coulda taken these fools out, it's you," Mina spat out. Ochaco was about to argue with her when she passed by a set of stairs that led to a lower landing, a flickering halogen light trying its damnedest to illuminate the hall that followed the steps. Voices floated past the stairs up to her. Two distinct people were speaking in a rushed, choppy language; a man with a kind voice and a woman who sounded distressed. Ochaco swore she heard the words, "Pro Hero: Uravity," in the exchange. She rushed down the flight. She was met with a narrow hallway that stretched out to a musty, dark area. Two shadowy figures knelt at the dim end, their voices echoing off the concrete walls towards her. Her presence was noticed and one of them stood up. Ochaco thought they looked odd. Atop the head protruded the silhouette of two large ears. She had the strongest impression of the rabbit hero Mirko, which was strange because this person appeared to be wearing a large coat or dress.

The standing figure looked down at the other still kneeling to their side. A few more words were said before they sped off, leaving their companion alone with Uraraka. She cursed under her breath and lamented about the bulb strength of her lights. It took seconds to catch up to the person waiting for her down the hall. Her breath hitched as she recognized the long, silky black hair and round face of the young woman from the van. Ochaco began some basic first aid and ran some diagnostic scans with her headset, kneeling down to speak with the woman.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Can you walk or stand?"

They stared at each other for a moment and it clicked. She didn't speak Japanese. Ochaco kept her face even as she cursed again. Her friend Iida's harsh scolding resounded in her mind, lamenting the fact that she passed up a translation upgrade in her gear. Uraraka refocused and listened passively to the diagnostic scan's readings while she continued inspecting the young woman for any harm. She was thin, dangerously thin. Her skin was pallid and ashen. This woman looked like she had been locked up and hidden away from any sun or food. Ochaco's blood boiled and she called Mina.

"Pinky, I've got a woman down here. Unarmed, but really hurting. Do we have EMT's on the way?"

"Yeah! Where are you? I'll head down and help out."

Ochaco opened her mouth but a burst of gunshots exploded off to her left. She grabbed the woman as gently as possible and dragged her away from the gun fire. A scream came out from the darkness, the gruff voice cracking with panic.

"Just die already, you long eared bastard!" More shots followed with additional shouts from the gunman only for both to be cut off with a strangled sound. Ochaco soon recognized the sound of fist striking flesh that were accompanied by yelps of pain. She did her best to assure her ward that she'd return, motioning wildly with her arms. Thankfully, Mina appeared on the scene a second later which Ochaco took full advantage of.

"Take care of her!" Uravity commanded, "We've got one more perp to take out."

Ochaco sprinted into the hallway, her boots clicking as she pumped her legs as fast as possible. Her breath and rushing blood over took her ears, no longer hearing the squelch of knuckles driving into soft tissue. She turned a corner, the space opening up to a strange area. What should have been more docking space appeared to be a ruined entrance to some tunnels below. Rubble and downed columns of concrete surrounded the area. Large blocks were missing the wall, allowing light to pour in to illuminate the dust that fell from the unseen ceiling. Standing amidst the smoke was a masked individual holding up a man by a fistful of bunched up shirt cloth.

The one standing was lanky, their limbs long, their frame lean. They wore what appeared to be business clothes underneath a ragged long coat that fell to their shins. Wild, curly hair poked out underneath one of the most frightening masks Ochaco had ever seen. It was a piece ensemble. On the bottom half covering their mouth was a metal guard that locked in the ears as well as the top half. Dark grooves separated the mouth piece to resemble a grin. Covering the other portion of their face was a smooth covering with white eye pieces outlined in black sitting underneath two pointed ears that jutted out of the forehead. The overall effect chilled Ochaco and she set her jaw tighter for nerves.

Whoever was behind the mask dropped their would-be attacker and turned heel. Ochaco began to give chase but a burst of smoke suddenly engulfed her. She hacked and coughed, uselessly wafting through the thick clouds while she stumbled foward. Mina's voice called out from beyond the fog with worry replacing her usual vigor.

"Uravity! 'Chaco! Are you there?"

"I'm - ack! - I'm over here. We've - koff, koff! - we've got a hurt person here," Uraraka replied, her breath coming in gulps. The formless gas around here didn't smell or feel particularly toxic but she'd still have to get checked out by an EMT. She felt annoyed. Not only had she fallen for a trap, but she had also let the bad guy get away. They weren't someone she easily recognized but she felt she had seen something like their mask in a police report a few months back. She chewed on the thought, the familiarity, while Mina and a few officers whisked her back to the outside.

It took a half hour for the backup crew to complete their sweep of the premises. In total they had arrested six gang members, one driver, and rescued three people, including the young woman Ochaco had found. She watched from inside the cab of an ambulance, perched just in the doorway with a breathing apparatus strapped around her face, as the EMT's cleared the crooks for arrest. Officers loaded everyone but the driver into their patrol cars, their emergency lights blaring loudly as they sped off to process the criminals. The driver was awake and being treated with basic first aid in the neighboring ambulance.

Ochaco had been left alone for a moment as was the driver while the EMT's henpecked the people he had brought here. She wasn't satisfied with him just being turned into the authorities and not having spoken to him. If he was arrested, it would have been at least a month before she heard anything about what he was doing there today.

When her breathing was stable, Uraraka got up and removed the medical equipment anchoring her down. She stepped lightly to the ambulance to her left and watched the driver.

His left cheek was bloated and bruised. A few gashes ran across his brow, freeling bleeding despite the care he had been given. His left eye was half flooded with red, the vessels broken when he had been attacked. He flinched as she approached him but he didn't flee. She gave him an even look before hissing out her proposal.

"Here's what's gonna happen: You're gonna tell me why you got involved in this mess and you're gonna tell me who the hell that masked person was. Why'd they give you such a beat down?"

"Look, Miss Hero," he started, "You're don't want nothin' with that monster. He warned us what he'd do if we started intereferin' with his business. Didn't think he was in the body game..."

"Who was he?" she asked pointedly. They stared at each other for seconds. He stayed silent and she was losing her patience. Ochaco grabbed the man's elbow with a vice-like grip, forcing a yelp out of him.

"Okay, okay! Leggo, ya crazy bitch! Damn that hurts," he complained as he massaged his arm. Ochaco reached out again and he pulled away, fear in his eyes.

"Deku!" the driver cried out, "His... his name is Deku. Least, that's what he prefers we call him."

"And just what the hell were you and this Deku doing here with those people?" she pressed. She cut off her questions before she gave any more away. If this guy got away or out somehow, word would spread that she and her agency were working blindly. Unfortunately, Mina came up behind and pulled her into a tight hug. Ochaco struggled to hold onto the air she fought so hard to take in after her exposure to the smoke.

"Uwahhh! Uravity! Don't ever scare me like that again," Pinky cried as she buried Ochaco's face in her embrace. The two pulled apart to watch an EMT escort the drive, delivering him into a pair of officers' arms. Uraraka looked at where he had been sitting and noticed a crumpled business card in his vacant spot. Where the thick cardstock had not been bent, it was black and glossy. The visage of a smiling rabbit was embellished in a green outline. Her breath caught in her throat as she flashed back to the creeping image of Deku as he stood look at her through his horrible mask. She shuddered and tucked the business card into a compartment in her belt.

Ashido had been chattering the whole time, and started pulling Ochaco towards the street, where they were greeted with more patrol cars blazing their roof lights. Though many of the officers were in their street uniform, complete with bulletproof vests, one stood out amongst the small platoon. She was a bit short with a severe, weathered face crinkled through age. Her gray hair was pulled into a tight bun that lightly stretched the skin around her eyes. Her uniform was immaculate and crisply pressed. The brass insignia on her shoulders were polished so well that Ochaco could see her reflection in them up close. Mina continued blabbing until she felt the officers cold stare drilling holes into her hair.

"Oh 'Chaco! We gotta go get a drink to celebrate. You kicked so much ass in there! How'd you... do it... Uh, hi, Cap! Didn't see you there."

The typically unflappable Pinky drew herself inward and looked bashfully at the police captain. Ochaco felt caution blare out in the back of her mind but she stamped it down as she watched the exchange carefully.

"Hmm. Good to see you too, Pinky. I'm Captain Ami Hosori, Four-Nine-One. You must be Uravity?" Captain Hosori held out her hand and craned her neck up slightly. Though Ochaco was a smidge taller than the captain, she had the distinct feeling that Hosori was looking down at her. Uraraka begrudgingly shook Hosori's hand with a firm grip and let go as quickly as she could.

Captain Hosori quickly took charge of the situation, directing the remaining police officers with the unpressured calm that only experience could demonstrate. Her orders were short. The response was immediate. Instead of scrambling directionless, the officers moved about efficiently; not a single movement was wasted. Ochaco was impressed, if not a little jealous. Her own sidekicks and interns could barely react without looking for approval from either herself or Mina. She observed for a few minutes while the EMT's began packing up their workstations to drive out as they had been dismissed by the captain.

"Um, excuse me, Captain Hosori? Shouldn't we keep the ambulances on hand for the civilians?" she questioned, concern tumbling in her stomach. Something about the EMT's dismissal struck her as out of the ordinary. Hosori gave her an appraising once over before pointedly rolling her eyes.

"These civilians were brought here for an illegal arms deal, Uravity. They will be detained at my precinct and questioned about their involvement."

"You're kidding me. That one lady I saved could barely walk!" Ochaco argued, "What do the others look like? Are you going to get anywhere with people who can barely talk? What if they don't want to talk?"

A few heads snapped toward her as she rounded on the captain. She had unwittingly brought herself up to her full height, a desperate attempt of intimidating Hosori. A few officers whispered to each other while Mina looked unsure of what to say. Ochaco kept an even gaze at Hosori. The captain turned her view slightly to the sides, taking stock in the reactions surrounding them.

"No, you're right, Uravity," she relented with a droop in her shoulders, "They were brought here and are more than worse-for-wear. We will send them to the hospital for observation and have them give statements there. We'll determine what to do with them after they have recovered in a few days."

"O-okay," Ochaco sputtered, a little dazed at the captain's sudden vulnerability. Hosori asked that the heroes head out so that they police could wrap up. The only additional request she made was that they have their reports on her desk within two days. Ochaco was happy to get away from Hosori and it appeared that Mina was too. The two pros watched as she disappeared into the warehouse with a small escort of officers at her flank, chills sliding up their backs.

"Right, we should go get that drink!" Mina chirped. It seemed she had found her spunk again, much to Uraraka's dismay. She half-heartedly pushed back but couldn't persuade her partner who was hellbent on celebrating a false victory.

"Mina, really, you've got it all wrong," Ochaco whined as Ashido pulled her by her limp arms.

"Well then tell me about it at the bar. We've got the rest of the day to work, if that makes you happy."

Ochaco smiled at her friend's pout. They started to walk away when Uraraka felt eyes on her back. She turned and saw the young woman staring out at her. Her soft, dark eyes were wide with panic as an EMT gently led her into the ambulance. Ochaco gave her a reassuring smile with a thumbs up. It'll be okay. You're going to be fine. Trust me.

The young woman relaxed and stepped away from Ochaco's view. Satisfied that she had done all she could to help, Uraraka raced to catch up to Mina who kept walking and talking without noticing that she'd left her partner behind.


	4. Blackout

Ch. 3: Blackout

"Ahhh, it's gorgeous out today!"

Ochaco looked over to Mina yelling out in the busy foot traffic, stretching widely and taking up absolutely more space than was needed. She smiled. It had been a rough few days since the warehouse raid. While it had been a success, there had been no coverage from the local media about their exploits. Captain Hosori had been tight-lipped about any details regarding the folks they had rescued after they turned in their reports to her. Ochaco had spent a fair amount of time worrying over them which pushed Ashido to take her out today. A day off to just shop and hang out; a day to just be without the anxieties of heroics was sorely needed. She took in the sun's warming rays and spread her arms to soak in as much as possible. Warmer days were coming and it showed. They were dressed cutely, their clothes picked out to maximize their exposure while also allowing them to stay warm. It felt wonderful to relax and leave their worries to the side, if only for a day.

They had been meandering for the better half the morning so far. Aimlessly walking and window shopping with the occasional purchase from Mina. The smell and sizzle of yakitori wafted toward them on a light breeze, grabbing Ochaco's attention. A food vendor was around the corner, standing behind his small cart as he worked quickly to turn over the kabobbed meat. He was a tall, burly man with hairy arms and strong face. The sleeves of his tan button up were rolled up to his elbow, a stained apron draped over his broad shoulders.

"Hey Mina, you hungry?" Ochaco asked, still watching the cook work his magic over the grill, "My treat."

Mina didn't answer right away. Ochaco had to turn to see what her hold up was and looked at the strange expression playing on her partner's face. It was a smug mix of know-it-all and pity.

"What?"

"Oh, you want some yakitori, huh Ocha'?" Mina asked slyly, slinking towards the vendor with a wink. Uraraka felt her face burn up and rolled her eyes. Just like Mina to have her mind in the gutter.

"Do ya want any or not?" she asked, exasperated at the hoops she had to jump through just for some damn food. Mina turned around and trotted back over to her. Ochaco hadn't moved an inch but was ready to take off if Ashido tried any funny business.

"Well yeah but uh... one sec, okay?"

"What are you - Mina!"

Her partner had begun to physically handle her, pressing her pink hands up to Ochaco's bust with an underhanded touch to lift her breasts up and together. Uraraka did her best to swat her friend away while Mina pressed her invasion of personal space, toying with her clothes and lamenting that they hadn't prepared to flirt with anyone.

"Oh 'Chaco, you're too cute not to flirt with. And I saw the look on your face. Just - let - me - help!"

"Mina, stop! We're making a scene and he's looking!"

The women separated for a moment to peek at the cook. He was doing his best to be subtle as he bent over to tend to his cooking meat but Ochaco swore she could see his eyebrows were raised up. Her face burned up again and she shoved Mina lightly aside. She wiggled her body to get comfortable after being handled so poorly, psyching herself up to order her snack. It was no biggie if the vendor saw her friend grope her. Not at all.

"H-hello! Could, uh, I have some c-chicken yakitori, please?" She did her best to keep eye contact with him as he smiled and answered. His voice was deep and pleasant, like the rolling tide of an ocean. Before he could get to work, Mina crashed into Ochaco's side.

"W-wait! Me too! I want some too!" He chuckled, the baritone rumble vibrating in Uraraka's chest. Her breath flitted and she stamped down the urge to raise her hand to her chest. She kept her resolutely eyes wandering about the food stand to avoid Mina's smug face. If anything about the situation annoyed her most, it would have been the fact that Ashido was right. It had been months since she had done anything outside of her current routine of work-eat-sleep. She was happy to have sacrificed some leftover time off she had gained so she could earn more for her parents but there was a gap she hadn't learned how to fill up yet. Not for lack of trying (or unwanted help from Mina or her parents). It was just that nothing stuck. Part of her wondered if she was looking in the wrong spaces.

Her eyes settled on watching their cook work quickly on the grill. She took in the curve of his thick back, how his pants were just a size too big for his trunk like legs, the daylight blinking off the beads of sweat that escaped his short cropped black hair. Mina nudged her playfully.

"He's cute," she whispered. Ochaco caved in and ventured a look at her partner. Surprisingly, the pink hero looked out at her with an earnest face. Dark eyes with golden irises lifted up with light as Mina encouraged her once more. "Just ask for his number. It'll be ok, I promise."

Uraraka heaved a sigh. Maybe it would be ok, just once, to try something different. Heaven knew that her last few attempts hadn't been too bad but they had left her wanting. She didn't even want to think about the time before that. Her eyes turned back to the cook as he started handing Mina their food.

"Right, that'll be five thousand yen, please," he requested. His eyes twinkled with a smile as he leaned a little towards her. She felt an old, dead thing in her chest attempt to flutter as she blinked and returned the smile. After some digging in her wallet, she handed the cash and was about to wave him goodbye when he held up a hand.

"One second, Miss Uravity." He placed the money in a cash drawer and began to scribble on the receipt. He skipped over her protest that she didn't need one and handed it over to her when he finished.

"You... know me?" she asked in disbelief. When it became clear he wouldn't respond with anything less than his dazzling smile, she took the slip of paper from him. She tried her best to hide the suspicion that was pulsing through her skull.

"Of course I know you," he answered, "You're the one keeping us all safe. I can sleep better knowing there's someone like you around. So, thanks!"

"I-It's my pleasure..." She blinked as she took a peek at what he wrote. A squeak escaped her lips when she read the digits scrawled on the bottom of the slip of paper. Uraraka looked back at him with an unsure smile. It only grew wider when he winked at her, turning away to attend another customer. Ochaco skipped over to Mina who was watching with that same smug look on her face. She ignored it and took her two sticks of chicken, savoring the flavor as she bit into it.

"Man, he can cook!" Mina exclaimed, winking at Uraraka. She let out a hearty laugh, carefully pocketing the receipt in her shorts. They walked on for a little more, taking a leisurely pace as they talked about the cute yakitori guy and what a date with him might look like. Ochaco felt a rumbling underneath the soles of her sneakers. She exchanged an alarmed look with Mina.

"There wasn't anything about an earthquake was there?" she asked as she pulled out her phone, scrolling through her news feed to look for any hints or clues. Mina shook her head, scrolling through her phone as well.

"No! And there's nothing on here. Wait, no... Damn it! There's an all out gang war going on a couple of blocks from here. The police and a few Heroes are on the scene, but it's getting really messy."

"Mina, I know we said no hero work today but -"

"I know, I know," Mina said, dejection piercing every vowel, "We can't not do something."

They took off, pulling out some minor support items that they always carried on hand when out of costume. As they approached the fighting, they could hear the cacophony of shouting and battle clashing wildly beyond their line of sight. People were running toward them in a panic. Ochaco and Mina took charge, dispersing the crowd rushing at them so that no one was trampled. Uraraka was the first one to break free and reach the scene.

It was in the middle of a crossroads that divided the area into a narrow "X". Patrol vehicles were creating a border just on the other side of the fighting, their emergency lights splashing red and blue on the shadowed buildings that surrounded them. Two large bands of blandly colored villains were striking each other with abandon. Sloshing blows and grunts mingled with the shouts of police officers trying to reestablish order. Ochaco didn't recognize anyone in the melee. She grit her teeth, frustrated that they had to go into this blind. Some brightly colored heroes began swarming the teeming mosh pit. The extra bodies only added to the violence with a spectacular burst of light and smoke. Without any real authority on either side, the brawling would only spread and the damage caused would start to pile up. Ochaco looked at Mina, exchanging an unspoken thought before they jumped into the fray.

The goal was simple: apprehend as many villains as possible. The problem was how to get there while the cops and heroes clashed with the crooks trying to escape. Ochaco ducked as a hulking man dressed in a baby blue jumpsuit threw a few unconscious villains away. She checked their vitals before cuffing them with inhibitors, moving quickly to dodge any wayward punches or kicks. A villain with bruised colored hair turned around and advanced toward her wildly. Panic was in the attacker's dark eyes and Uraraka felt her body tense for a moment. Whatever the situation, no one in their right mind wanted to go to jail or be caught up in a fight. She stepped into the attacker's open space, planting her back flush against the woman's front as she grabbed her outstretched arm. In one fluid motion, Ochaco flung her to the ground and cuffed her with an inhibitor. A foot came into her vision suddenly and Uraraka felt pain radiate throughout her head. She was knocked a few feet away, spinning a little as she drunkenly recovered from the blow. The new attacker, dressed in a gaudy leather yellow suit with red trim, did not let up, which was fortunate for her. They went in for a right hook which she ducked under, grabbing it with her arm as she popped back up. She struck him four times in the rib cage, feeling the bones crunch under her open palm strikes. With a well-timed knee to his stomach, Ochaco had subdued him enough to cuff him.

Right, that's five so far. Only a butt load more to go. Her eyes scanned the area quickly, her breath even, but coming in heavy gulps. She felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins and fought to maintain her focus. Off in the opposite corner, she watched Mina skating around three assailants before sweeping their legs to knock them down. The villains were quickly set upon nearby heroes. Maybe I should work on teaming up with some of these rookies. That big guy seems to be doing well on his own though.

Ochaco watched as that hulking newbie clocked out another crook without much apparent effort. He continued to plough through the crowd with abandon, knocking down anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. She frowned as a few of their allies fell down. The tarmac under his feet was cracked, the spider veined fractures webbed out further as he stomped forward. A scrawny, spindly man tried to creep past the rampage. While he went unnoticed by the other heroes, Ochaco headed towards him. She was a few yards away when the gargantuan man wound his arm back for a punch, knocking the would-be escape artist. He fell backward and hit the ground hard. Now was her chance to catch the villain. She raced forward and watched as rage filled out his pinched face. His skin blazed red, burning brighter and brighter until he struck his fists against the splintering ground.

It had happened too fast for her to be certain what occurred. She thought it looked like his whole body released a burst of energy. The impact was devastating. She was thrown back, the wind stolen right out of her lungs. Large fissures in the earth began to form all around her. Huge chunks of broken road popped up into the air, creating a jagged miniature mountain range. Her ears were ringing and she had the vague sensation of something wet dribbling down her face. Ochaco propped herself up with a struggle, feeling the ground beneath her shift and give. With a yelp, she realized that the ground was caving and that the drop was making its way rapidly to her. Uraraka failed to get up in time and began to sink into the ever widening chasm with the rest of the rubble. She took her gravity away, gliding down and using the falling rocks to help guide her towards the top.

Ochaco looked down with a start when she realized that down below was the way station for the subway tracks. The explosion must have been massive, she reasoned, as she flipped in mid-air and pushed off to rocket towards the bottom.

"Ochaco!" Mina cried out behind her. Uraraka crunched herself to look up past her feet. Her friend held out an outstretched arm with an exhausted, distressed face. She gave Mina a cheeky wink and turned back to keep watch of her descent.

She planted both feet on the ground after a few minutes of floating softly amidst the racing debris and landed in pandemonium. People scurried around in the dark, the overhead lights flickering from the damage sustained in the cave-in. There were two sets of tracks that flanked a narrow platform, the cavernous tunnels gaping out at her on either side threatened to swallow the world around her. Screams of panic jolted her to work. Massive piles of fallen terrain piled up on the tracks, blocking the path of any trains that were scheduled to arrive.

On the thin slab of concrete where people were cowering, Ochaco saw a few injured folks being laid out or moved around so that they could receive some rudimentary aid. She growled and began to clear off the bouldered tracks. It was slow, grueling work. Her limit was creeping up on her with every mound cleared but she pressed through the waves of nausea that constricted the contents of her stomach. A couple of women approached her with wringing hands after she dismantled a particularly compacted grouping of debris. They looked scuffed up, clothes torn in a variety of places but there wasn't any visible bleeding. Ochaco shook off the scowl she had been sporting, choosing instead to give her best smile to ease their clear anxiety.

"Hey, ladies, come here often?" she joked, gritting her teeth as more nausea struck her.

"A-are you a pro hero?" one timidly asked, uncertainty swimming in her eyes. Uraraka let her disappointment slide and answered. She hoped her face or tone didn't betray her frustration.

"I'm Uravity," she gave with a dejected sigh, "Today's my day off. How hurt are you? How many people are injured?"

"Three people with broken legs - one that's really bad - and a few others that were knocked out. We thought we saw some movement in that tunnel," the other said as she pointed to the right most entrance nearby, "Don't know if you wanna check that out or not."

Uravity took a moment to assess the area around her. She had barely cleared up half of the track. Without knowing when the next train was due to pull in, she would be hard pressed to give first aid, clear up, and look into the potential threat lurking in the shadows. Ochaco needed backup fast.

"Ok, let me try to call for some help. Do you happen to know when the next train's supposed to roll up?"

"Uh... I think in ten minutes?" the first lady gave. Uraraka swore under her breath. If that train came in too hot, the passengers would be toast. The ladies offered their help, explaining their Quirks as they followed Ochaco while she rushed to clear the area. One could halve objects with a single touch but couldn't cleave them back together; the other had built in wheels in the heel of her feet. Uraraka began to utilize their aid in dispersing the clusters. She checked the tracks as they were cleared, looking for any damage to the rails. A sharp cry from the platform caught her attention. Ochaco whipped her head up and saw someone pointing at some commotion. Out of the tunnel's shadow sauntered out a group of four brutish, green skinned men, dressed only in loincloths, with large tusks protruding from beneath their lips. They snarled in their own twisted attempt at grinning, revealing their jagged teeth. The largest among them walked behind his cronies, crossing his thick arms across his broad chest. When he spoke, it felt like gravel being poured into her ears.

"Well, well... lookit what we got here. Easy pickin's boys. Go on! Get at it!" They started to rush the civilians when the cavity above them rumbled. Ochaco recognized what was happening, terror clasping her heart. The fighting had not concluded up top and caused more debris to fly straight at them. She shouted at her help as she pounced into action.

"Get back to the platform! Move everyone away from the tracks!" Ochaco slapped the remaining blocks of rock and asphalt as she passed them. The effect on her guts was immediate. She resisted the urge to drop, her knees buckling against her mind's urgent need to run faster. Ochaco urged the rocks to float up faster, the roaring of the falling remains of the street above growing louder with every second. The largest newcomer spoke again as he pointed at Uraraka. She couldn't bring herself to look at him as she sprinted on.

"Say, ain't that Uravity? That's gotta be her! Oh we are in for a treat today! Take 'er out!"

Uravity spun around, glaring out at them as sweat beaded down the side of her face. Her bangs were matted against her forehead. Her body felt hot and the nausea was becoming worse with each passing moment. She looked up to the hovering mass that she managed to wrangle in a makeshift barrier. Focusing on a few smaller pieces that could act like deterrents, the pro hero tapped her fingers together for half a heart beat.

"Release!"

Three sizable chunks of rock fell around the thugs. They were startled and fell back on their rears. The largest one, the leader she assumed, looked unimpressed as he took stock of his lackeys.

"That all you got, gravity girl? Pathetic..." he grunted as he coiled himself to attack her. There were about a hundred yards between them but given that she had been rendered stationary from using her quirk, it didn't look good. Just as he was about to launch himself, Uraraka watched his eyes widened in surprise as he slapped a hand to his neck. Confusion etched itself into his wretched face. His body swayed in spot and when he spoke again, it was slurred and groggy.

"Ya rat bastard... we had a... deal."

With an unceremonious flop, the crook was flat on his face in seconds. The other three scrambled to stand up but soon joined their leader within moments. Ochaco tried to figure out what was happening but then falling debris crashed against the hovering rubble she had lifted. She screamed out in agony, the effort to keep up the barrier becoming weaker with every ounce of rock that bounded against the mass of ruins. Her world began to fade. Head swimming with pain, Ochaco dropped to her knees, and pushed against the urge to release the objects in her care. She was vaguely aware of a figure running out of the shadows towards her, skipping over the fallen crooks as they tossed something toward the platform. Golden light blinded her moments before the figure swooped upon her. Strong, gentle hands clasped her arms. Their voice was kind and warm. She barely understood what they were wearing on their face as they dragged her away.

"It's ok, Uravity. Just let it go." Her mind protested and railed against the suggestion, but her body was beyond her limit. The mere thought of relief nearly brought her to tears.

"Oh- okay... re-release..."

She felt this new person pick her up and dash away from the incoming avalanche. Ochaco was fading, quickly, as she looked up to the person one last time. Bright green eyes beneath a strange rabbit mask looked down at her. She could swear that their eyes were smiling as she faded away, the horrible sound of falling debris dwindling as she lost consciousness.


	5. The Best Laid Plan

Ch. 4: The Best Laid Plan

It had taken a couple of weeks filled with meticulous planning, but Izuku was finally here. Looking around at the abandoned subway tunnel he walked in with the motley collection of guards that marched on either side of him, though, he just wasn't sure if all that effort was worth the hassle. He wore his "meeting" mask today - the one that had less of an "intimidation" factor and a more "down to business" attitude - along with his normal suit, gloves, and coat. The mouth guard was absent, exposing his freckled skin. He also opted out of the shuttered lenses from his field mask. Izuku always felt that when it came to these visits, it was better to have his eyes visible. He found it put everyone at ease whenever he was present, made it easier to do his job. In his left hand was gripped his trusted umbrella.

A dim glow, emitted from the embedded lights above, fought weakly against the darkness of the tunnel. The ground underneath his boots crunched as he moved forward with unease. These meetings were always a crap shoot until you actually got to the damned spot with no guarantee that everyone would arrive. Or if they wouldn't leave in a body bag. He wore a bemused grimace as he looked around at his escorts. Given the state of their hygiene, maybe it would've been best if someone didn't show up. They were a group of mutated Quirk users with an assortment of "pointless" or "powerless" cosmetic mutations that they would be hard pressed to use in everyday society. But here in the underground, they were invaluable. A girl who was a hybrid of a rat and human who could use her superior senses to track people in the dark; a few brutes with mutations on their arms or knuckles that could muscle their way through any situation; one particularly bad illusionist that could summon clouds of vapid smoke for quick escapes. The remaining members of the procession all had a variety of the same Quirk: Orc/Goblin. They called themselves 'Greenskins' which was an obvious callback to their appearance but everyone else referred to them as The Oozers. He wasn't sure why the other gangs called them that. It was just something that stuck. Izuku eyed them a little warily as they pressed on in the darkly lit tunnels. They didn't wear anything but coarse hair loincloths, exposing their solid musculature to the elements. They had little to no hair and were ugly as sin. He refused to even acknowledge the odor that came from their bodies.

The Oozers were a fairly old crew that had immigrated into Japan around when Quirks started popping up. No one was certain where they had moved from but it didn't matter. Not now at least. They had risen to some prominence decades ago but had lost any clout once heroes started getting involved with law enforcement. They weren't exactly the strongest folks out there. He felt a strong mix of pity and righteous anger when he reflected on their history. They had been born this way: mutated and forced into the shadows because they weren't exactly presentable or useful. He had done some research and found that they were mostly inbred, stunting the family Quirk gene from evolving any further. Hence why every Oozer looked like they came straight out of a fantasy novel. It didn't surprise him. Given their appearance and social status, they didn't exactly have the best odds with dating, let alone fitting in with society. Izuku had a hell of a time digging up any dirt on them but he was sick to his stomach afterward. Just like the world to throw out people because of what they looked like or what they _couldn't_ offer. Of course, all of his empathy went out the window when he'd learned something interesting about the Oozers the other day.

He would have normally avoided doing any business with low grade gangs like the Oozers. They were usually too much trouble for little pay off. This was a unique situation, however. Recently the Oozers had started encroaching on other people's turf and it was starting to upset some very short tempered bosses. He hadn't been sure what businesses they were interrupting though. The folks who called him in to handle it weren't exactly keen on giving out more information. Whatever. It couldn't have been that bad, right? Maybe some drug flow, maybe some racketerring. His attitude changed after his run-in with some traffickers a few days prior. That drop was supposed to have been a routine weapons sale. Nothing too out of the ordinary that didn't need his involvement. Except he had been tipped off to look into it by a confidant. He hadn't been sure why at the time but quickly found out: the dealers were selling _people_ and their _Quirks_ as weapons. In his ensuing raid, he managed to save a few lives, dodge Pro Hero Uravity, and get some information out some no name thug. According to his ever so helpful informant, the Oozers were helping this new small time gang bring in bodies for their own business ventures.

Ever since he had started brokering for the big wigs of the Underworld, he had one hundred percent clear: there were certain lines he was unwilling to barter in. And he expected everyone else to follow suit. Many gangs and crews had begrudgingly agreed to it and the ones that failed to get onboard disappeared mysteriously. So now that the Oozers (and likely other groups) were moving in this direction, he had a vested interest in this meeting. He needed to know how deep this went, who was involved, who knew about it. He had to end this, now.

"So, I gotta ask," the ratgirl squeaked out, shattering the quiet, "What's with the get up? And the _umbrella_? You expectin' rain?" Izuku chuckled. He opened his arms slightly and looked down to take in his crisp white shirt and loose red tie under his silken vest.

"I just think it's important to put your best foot forward. Look your best, you know? This meeting is kind of a big deal. Plus, you never know when an umbrella might come in handy."

"Wouldn't need this yuppie if ya rat bastards didn't get yer panties all bunched up," grumbled a surly looking Oozer on his left. He felt the tension electrify the air, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Glares and unspoken threats shot out from all sides. He sighed. There was always some fool who wanted to raise hell just before things got taken care of.

"Hey, hey," he drolled in an almost bored tone, "This right here is why I'm coming to this meeting. All this bad blood? That's no good for anyone. Let's just take a breath and move on."

While the smile he gave them meant to reassure them, he also made a point to grip the handle of his umbrella a little tighter. These thugs were out for blood. Just because they feared their bosses or were loyal to them didn't mean they'd keep to their orders. As the seconds ticked by, Izuku began to fear the worst until he watched their shoulders drop. They all grunted, turning their noses up at one another before marching on in silence once again. He did his best to conceal his surprise.

_Could have sworn that was going to go South, quickly…_

At long last they reached the meeting place. Located in a worn out crossing that opened up to allow more space for several trains to pass through, it had been ideal for any meetings between clans, gangs, and crews that didn't want to be out in the open. Or, in today's case, if they weren't allowed out in the open. Sitting in the middle of the criss-crossed rails was a makeshift table created with cinder blocks and a slab of plywood. Pikes with haphazard lanterns attached to their tips had been speared around. The lopsided illumination showed off some of the graffiti that littered the concrete walls surrounding them. Several groups had arrived, more than he expected. The Oozers were there, of course, along with their main rivals from Hosu. But what baffled him the most were the other people gathered. Izuku recognized a few distinguished members of the local Yakuza with their beefed up thugs; two Runners from a pirate band that preyed on incoming ships; and a solitary figure that was so out of place, he thought he was hallucinating. Dressed inconspicuously in a hoodie, jeans, and some sneakers was Egin "Halogin" Naosoma. Egin was not what Izuku would consider an attractive person. Thin and reedy with waxy, pale skin that was stretched taut all over, he looked out at the crowd past his platinum blonde bangs with pale blue eyes. Halogin, as he was known to respectable society, was a rookie hero who was quickly making a name for himself. He had graduated from U.A. two years ago as "one of their most promising alumni." Or, so Izuku had read somewhere. Halogin was eager to make a name for himself which was always a tell. Midoriya had encountered enough ambitious rookies to know what that eagerness meant: doing whatever it took to get noticed. He hated their kind. Attention seeking phonies at the expense of others lives or wellbeing, only in it for the money and fame. His old mentor would have murdered the young pro on the spot. Izuku wouldn't have gone that far. Maybe. Probably.

Breaking away from his escort as they dispersed to reconnect with their respective crews, Midoriya made a show of greeting the leaders present with handshakes and smiles. He always felt like a politician at these meetings. It never failed to creep him out a little.

"Good afternoon everyone," Izuku started, "You know why we're here and what we hope to do. I've been called in to help smooth things out. With that in mind, would you all kindly lay your weapons down on the table." The way he said it was not a request. He glanced over every single person there and waited patiently for them to pile on their arms. One by one, everyone set down a small arsenal of firearms, knives, and blunt objects that they had concealed on their persons. It would be easier to talk to each other knowing that none of them could instantly kill the others. When he was satisified that everyone had placed their weapons away, Izuku commenced the meeting.

"Great, so why don't we just clear the air really quick? From what I understand, the Oozer clan has been moving on your turf, Mr. Kobono?"

A man with frail, translucent wings stood himself up to his full height. His pointed face and ears made him appear as if his face had been pulled at birth. He glared at the Oozers standing a few yards away, their expression hard to decipher in the flickering light.

"You green _fucks_ know that the Watashi district is ours! Why the hell do you bastards keep dealing on our turf?"

"Like we told you last time, you little shit," growled Hanako, the largest Oozer in attendance, "There ain't no lines drawn. This place is open game, ya understand?" Izuku coughed quietly and felt all eyes home in on himself. He gave them a brief smirk and spoke.

"From what I know, the Oozers moved to Hosu about four months ago. The last town you were kicked out of told me that you had the same problem respecting people's territory. Sound about right?"

A stunned quiet from Hanako was all the answer he needed. Izuku watched the others turn their hateful glares back to the green skinned people. There was murder in the air and he'd have to stamp it out quickly.

"So, did anyone from Mr. Kobono's crew come by to welcome you?" Izuku gave a brief side eye to the winged man who looked aghast, "Did any one else try? Hmm. That's what I figured. So here's what I propose:

"The Oozers will give up twenty percent of what they made, from four months ago to now, to me. I'll hand it out equally to all injured parties. If the Oozers want to continue working in this area, they'll need to give a cut of five to me, which I'll parse out again. No fighting, no ugliness. Just pure business ok?"

Everyone looked at him as if he had grown a second head. Ogling stares and scowls peered out at him from the dark. He humored them with another brilliant smile, despite the increasing pressure he felt rising up through his neck. Thankfully a distraction from above took away some of the heat. A rumbling above them shook the roof, loosening a cloud of dust over them. Izuku was the only one to keep his composure. The rest began to panic and dart their heads about, as if they could see past the meters of concrete and rebar hovering above them. Even Halogin looked about with some worry. Kobono was the first to react to the commotion.

"What the hell is that? Is it the heroes?"

"Well," Izuku explained sheepishly, rubbing his neck with a light hearted smile, "Yes and no. See I staged a fight to distract anyone trying to watch today's meeting. Nothing like a bunch rowdy crooks making a ruckus to pull the pro's attention off of us."

"But why did they have to fight right over us? That makes no sense!" asked a Yakuza thug. A few others audibly grumbled in agreement. Midoriya sighed, lifting his hands defensively. He shifted his stance, readying himself for a scrap if it came to it.

"Well, they won't be _right over_ us the whole time," he answered, "Plus, the pro's wouldn't think to snoop around underneath the streets when the fighting took place up top. They aren't that smart. Everyone happy? Good. Now back to negotiations."

It wasn't a long conversation, thankfully. There were sharp words exchanged between the groups and a lot of grumbling about the cut the Oozers would have to pay out or allowing them to do business at all. Izuku became more curious as he watched the talks progress . The Runners and Yakuza started pushing for a bigger slice which Hanako only pushed back against lightly. The green skinned man's shoulders drooped slightly and he had an air of a kid being caught with their hand in the sweets jar when the demand for more out of his clan was brought up. Midoriya noticed Halogin and Kobono whispering at the edge of the group. In the end they had something that they were all happy with, so to speak, thanks to Deku's smooth intervention. The cut went up to twenty five percent up front and seven for ongoing business dealings. In turn, the Oozers were allowed free reign over Hosu. Meanwhile, Midoriya would be the one to oversee the exchange of money to ensure that no one tried to undercut the others. It wasn't exactly ideal from Izuku's end as he still had questions regarding what the Oozers were bringing in or doing. Unfortunately, the negotiations had been cut short by the fighting taking place on the surface. A young greenskin came padding through the dark, breathing heavily and sweating profusely just as the rumbling above them started to become more violent. The smell he produced was unbearable.

"B-boss... We got problems..." he wheezed, doubling over to catch his breath. Izuku took a peek at his smart watch, scrolling up the messages he had been ignoring throughout the meeting. One of the hired goons had been placed on the roof tops to keep watch of the fight. He had hired about seven other freelancers to engage in a fight, knowing full well that they were all going to be jailed. At least they could pay their bail with what he compensated with. Maybe. Izuku's face remained impassive as he scrolled through the messages. He read them quickly, with no intention of responding.

Message 11:30

_Everyone's ready. Just waiting_

Message: 11:40

_Its started_

Message 11:45

_Fighting going as planned. Pros on scene first_

Message 12:05

_Fight's got out a hand. Cops on scene finally_

Message 12:15

_Are you done yet? Its gotten really bad_!

Message 12:18

_You better not be ducking me deku! Where tf are you?!_

Message 12:18

_FUCKING AUTOCORRECT_

Izuku bit back a laugh. He barely registered what the latest message said when an enormous roar swallowed them in a gust of wind and noise. They all ducked around, covering their ears as the earth above them splintered. A few moments later, Hanako's voice replaced the explosive ringing that echoed in the meeting space.

"Alright, I'm calling it! Meetin's over. Get the hell out of here," Hanako shouted waving everyone off as he rallied his men, "Deku! You comin' with me. Gotta pick yer brain."

Izuku nodded and started to make his way over to the Oozers through the scattered crowd that dispersed around him. He felt someone grip his elbow, pulling him down to his side so that he could listen to the young voice in his ear.

"Watch yourself, man. That little stunt you pulled the other day wasn't good for anyone. Interfering in peoples' business is a good way to get killed."

"And I gotta say," Deku hissed as he whipped his arm free from Halogin's grip, "Threatening me isn't a really smart idea either."

They exchanged glares for a moment. Izuku felt an electric burn in the held look and was taken out of it when he heard Hanako call out once more.

"You all set, Deku?" the greenskin leader asked.

"Yeah, just had to take care of some business before we headed out. Speaking of: we should walk and talk, yes?"

They took off into a run, alternating their pace between sprints and jogs so they could speak. Hanako explained that the tunnels kept the green skin clan safe. It provided shelter, an easy way to travel about the city, and ample opportunity to conduct business away from prying eyes. There had been a large explosion about a mile off from the clan's hideout entrance according to Hongu, the youngster that interrupted the negotiations. If the fight had gotten out of hand, their people were in grave danger.

Deku kept quiet, opting to appear like he was listening intently. The only reason he took so long in planning out today's meeting was due to finding a crew to create a diversion that would also interrupt the negotiations. What better way than to have Kamikaze on his team. True to his name, Kaze would blow himself up and create an opening near the Oozer's home door. He figured his best shot at getting any information out of Hanako was to get him alone after "working together" to keep the greenskins safe. Izuku smired as Hongu began explaining his own plan to him, oblivious to being played.

"I was looking for marks to pocket and then boom! The ceiling just starts to break and fall down. I only saw something like this once when I was up top. Thought it was that crazy pro with the blonde hair and red eyes... scared the hell outta me."

"Were there any people left in the subway?" Deku asked, doing his best to keep pace with the pack of outcasts.

"Yeah, plenty," Hongu went on, "I think one of 'em mighta spotted me."

_Shit_, Deku thought, _Just what we need: _witnesses. _Ah, that should be easy enough to deal with._ He discreetly fiddled with his umbrella as they followed the twisting path through the abandoned tracks, heaving in harsh gulps of breath as they pressed on in the dark. Through his gloved hands, Izuku silently confirmed that he had just enough sleep darts for some crowd control. At a certain point, the tracks simply disappeared underneath their feet and the tunnel continued to stretch out. They ran up to a fresh opening where another set of tracks crossed before them. To the left and up ahead, light poured in to illuminate the worn down steel rails nailed into the ground. Deku was about to head forward when Hanako held him back with a gentle draw of his arm. He looked at the hulking greenskin with a curious glance and stepped back. Hanako sent out two of his scouts to keep watch for what was happening before rounding on Deku.

"You and I have some quick business to tend to," he growled. Deku kept his wits about him, trying not to let the overpowering stench wafting up to sting his own eyes.

"Alright," Deku offered as he did his best to hold his breath, "What do you want?"

"Let's ignore everything else today. I might have heroes knocking on my front door right now. You help me get them out of my house, you keep my people safe, then we can talk more. I _know_ there's stuff you're dying to ask me," Hanako gave with a sleazy gleam in his dark eyes. Deku bit back the urge to smile too quickly. The Oozers were a resilient, sturdy clan of misfits. Unfortunately, that didn't mean they were too bright. It was almost too easy to manipulate them. The thought put a slight edge in Deku's mind which he shook off as quickly as it came. This was easy because he was in charge of the game. Hard to lose a match when you set the rules.

"We got a deal?" Hanako asked with a hand extended out. He smiled as he shook Hanako's hand. Satisfied, the Oozer and Midoriya stepped just out of the light's reach to watch the scene unfolding in the station ahead. Deku almost swore. While he had expected to deal with a few heroes trying to salvage the situation, he hadn't anticipated _her_.

In the cavernous station was a long slab of concrete that served as the waiting area for a number of injured and frightened passengers. Several mounds of broken earth, tarmac and rebar were scattered about the tracks that lined both sides of the platform. Amongst the fallen rubble were three women working quickly to clear the area. A familiar bob of chestnut brown hair caught his eye. Uravity was there, darting about with acrobatic grace and laser focus. Hanako began to chuckle, pulling Deku out of his glazed over viewing of the anti-gravity hero.

"Did they send anyone down here? Looks like a bunch of wannabes to me. Let's go boys. Deku, Hongu: you two stay put until you see a pro got it?"

Izuku watched on in confusion as the Oozers stepped out into the light. It looked like they hadn't recongnized Uravity yet but he wasn't sure how long that would hold up. Cries of shock from the civilians reached out to him in the dark and watched Uravity seize up. Even from his hiding spot, he could see that the hero was pushing her limit. Her breath was coming in ragged gulps and her knees buckled as she did her best to stand up. He silently prayed that she'd stand down, keeping a low profile so that Hanako's attention could just overlook her.

"Well, well... lookit what we got here. Easy pickin's boys. Go on! Get at it!" The greenskins barely moved an inch when another earth shattering quake rumbled through the area. Dust and loose rocks fell around Izuku as he held himself steady against the shaking wall nearby him, eyes shut in concentration. Uravity shouted something amidst the roar of the falling earth and Deku's eyes shot open. She wasn't facing towards him but Hanako's body shifted. A warning bell started going off in the back of Midoirya's mind. _No. No, no, no…_

"Say," Hanako pointed out as he heaved a gnarled finger towards Uraraka, "ain't that Uravity? Yeah... yeah, that's gotta be her! Oh we are in for a treat today! Take 'er out!" _Shit! Couldn't she just stay low? _

Deku stepped out to the threshold of the waiting area and watched Uraraka loosen her hold on a few pieces of rubble from a mountain that floated in the air. Understanding dawned on him as he looked up in awe, watching the large chunks of street fall in front of Hanako. It appeared that the hero had blocked any more debris from falling into the area by using what had already dropped. Hanako's men tripped over themselves as they narrowly avoided. Hongu started sprinting towards his boss. More people were screaming. Hanako was saying something but there was a rush in Izuku's ears. Deku hardly thought about raising up his umbrella and pulling the discreet trigger near the handle. It was quick. It was easy. He first shot Hanako with Hongu following suit, then the last three still on the ground. Hanako was the first to recognize what was happening. He swayed and cursed at Izuku before tumbling to the ground in a crumpled heap. Hongu's momentum kept him moving forward before he too succumbed to the darts' Izuku shot him with. Uraraka screamed as more rumbling shook the ceiling. His legs were pumping quickly, the wind whipping about him as he reached behind him to feel around for the "just-in-case" item he had nicked from his supplier. It was round with three trapezoidal feet, emitting a dim light until he pressed a button on the side. Izuku flung it out to the platform with some care, shouting at the people watching as he sped by.

"Get behind the shield! The rocks are going to start falling!"

A burst of blinding golden light engulfed the area, passing through everything with an electric sizzle. He shook off the strange feeling as he bent down next to the still struggling Uravity. Izuku did his best to cajole her into letting go of her quirk's hold, to relax after a job well done.

"It's ok, Uravity," he whispered to her as warmly as possible, "Just let go. It'll be ok."

"A-all right... Re-release," Ochaco whimpered. She looked up at him with her soft, chocolate eyes as he picked her up as gently as possible. Soon he was rushing away from the flood of debris behind him as Uraraka's hold dissipated. Izuku managed to clear the nearest tunnel entrance as the cave in allowed darkness to swallow them both. He laid her down and sat next to her with a small huff.

The sudden silence and low visibility jarred him back to his senses. They couldn't just sit there and it looked like Uraraka needed help. He dug around his coat pockets and dejectedly pulled out a burner phone with a small manilla packet. Deku thumbed the buttons for a few moments, manually scrolling through his contacts until he found his target. His thumb hovered over the "Call" button until he gave in with a sigh. A few rings later, he was greeted with a hateful voice.

"What do you want?" He should have expected that. Izuku wasn't exactly welcomed in most circles. Especially not amongst the heroes.

"Hey, Lemillion," he spoke with little interest in engaging in a prolonged conversation, "I know you're in Hosu this week. Are you at that fight that took place above the subway?"

"How - _how! _\- did you know about -"

"Right, so you are. Good. I'm calling in my favor. There are people still trapped here and I've got one who really needs help. When you get here, just come down to the Southeastern tunnel exit. I'm blocked off."

"Wait, Deku, hol-"

_Click_.

Deku threw the phone out into the dark, listening to it clink against the steel rail a few times before the echoes of its impact fade away. He pushed up his mask wistfully and looked down at his hands. Waiting was his least favorite activity but he would just have to grin and bear it until Mirio "Lemillion" Togata arrived. It took longer than he expected. He was just about to start moving the rocks by hand when he felt a figure standing behind him suddenly.

Lemillion was the picture of heroism. Even in the dark, Izuku could see his immaculate white costume and hero name emblazoned on his chest. His deep blue eyes glared out at him with disgust creasing the skin around the corners of his mouth. Lemillion began to step forward when Izuku reacted, flailing his arms wildly.

"Wait, careful!"

Mirio looked down to where Midorya was warning him. Rage melted into confusion and blossomed back to full on hate in the span of seconds. Lemillion was shaking, his clenched fists vibrating at his sides.

"What did you do to her?" Mirio hissed. Izuku watched as he scooped her up into his arms, lifting her as if she weighed less than a child. Deku felt a twinge of shame and jealousy wash over him as he spoke.

"_She's_ my favor, Mirio," Midoirya explained, getting up and dusting himself off, "Please take her up as soon as possible. She needs help right away. Then you can get the other people trapped just outside of here."

Mirio blanched at Izuku. He sputtered a bit, shifting Uraraka slightly as he tried to wrap his head around what was happening.

"You mean to tell me that you're calling in your favor for her? Don't get me wrong, I'd save her just like anyone else but coming from you?"

"I get it," Deku drolled with a dismissive wave, "I'm not exactly a great person or whatever. But... she's different. She was fighting to save those people out there by herself. Uravity is always saving people. She's a true hero. Just like you. I couldn't just let her die."

Izuku looked away with a pointed gaze fixed on the graffiti painted above on the arching wall to his right. He couldn't bring himself to look at Lemillions gape of disbelief. Izuku almost scoffed in frustration. I'm a crook not a monster.

"Is there, uh... Is there anything else?" Lemillion offered hesitantly. He squatted down and was getting ready to take off. Izuku nodded with a smile and waved around the tan envelope in his hand.

"Yeah, there's one more thing. How about a trade? Favor for a favor. I met a U.A. student on the way here. She's visiting some folks in town but she really wanted to meet you. Her info's all on here. Take a look. I think you'll be interested. Maybe say hello."

"Where do you get all this? Where do you get off, spying on everyone?" Lemillion barked. Izuku smirked before turning away.

"C'mon now, Mirio," he offered with humor dripping in his voice, "You know better than to ask that."

There was a beat of silence before the hero whisked Uravity away. When the coast was clear, Izuku worked quickly to leave the packet lying on a rock. He broke a glow stick to shed some light on it for when Mirio returned. Even though it was a debt owed to Lemillion, Izuku was relieved to have some tether attached to the hero. Deku took off into a full out sprint, having no intention of being present when Mirio did eventually come looking for him.


	6. Wake Up Call

Ch. 5 Wake Up Call

It wasn't the strange feeling of threadbare sheets against her skin or the consistent electric beep nearby that woke it. It was the _smell_. Stale and a little acrid, the sterile air had been grating on her nerves more and more as she began to stir from her sleep. Her mind was hazy. Honestly, she was surprised she could even put any thoughts together as she blinked against the groggy haze that threatened to pull her back to an uneasy sleep. Ochaco pulled a face as she propped herself and felt an awful tug from inside her navel. Heavy waves of nausea pulled her back down to the scratchy bed. As she winced at her insides churning themselves into knots, Uraraka began to notice the nodes and needles attached to her arms. Bandages covered her hands and most of her arms. She tried to sit up again but her head swam, letting out a pained groan when she flopped back onto the bed. A familiar voice, warm and bright, called out from the outer edge of her blurry vision.

"Oh she's awake!"

Mina's brilliant golden eyes shone in Ochaco's face suddenly. Her friend awkwardly leaned over the edge of the bed, inspecting her face before wrapping two thin arms around Ochaco for a tight hug.

"I thought you were a goner!" Mina sobbed. Ochaco's protest for air and space went ignored. She was vaguely aware of the presence of two other figures standing at the foot of her bed but couldn't get a word out to them. "I was so worried about you! Don't ever do that to me again, you hear?"

"Y-yeah, Mina," Ochaco gave weakly. They exchanged a wobbled smile before Uraraka turned attention to the other two people in the room. With her head a little clearer, somehow, she started to take in her surroundings. Her hospital bed was surrounded by cloth curtains, one of many in a large hospital wing. Pale, dead fluorescent lights illuminated every inch of the space and hardly allowed any shadows in its sight. Captain Hosori stood in her crisp uniform with a severe look on her face. Ochaco vaguely wondered if the officer's skin would sag without her hair pulled so tightly back. The other person was in a white lab coat over mint green scrubs. A white face mask with matching scrub adorned their head.

"Cap-captain Hosori? What're you doin' here?" Ochaco asked with a groggy croak. Hosori gave her a brief smile and sharply walked up next to Mina. Her face appeared slightly relaxed up close though there was something dulled in her dark eyes that Ochaco was weary of.

"Yes, there are a few things I wanted to discuss with you while you were... out of action as it were. First, I wanted to give you my personal thanks, Uravity. Your efforts the other day saved dozens of lives."

Hosori extended a stiff hand out to Ochaco who took it with her own wobbling from effort. The police captain gripped Uraraka tightly and gave her one firm shake before pulling back quickly. Ochaco winced, nursing the knuckles gingerly while Hosori spoke once again.

"Secondly, I thought you would like to know that the individuals who you helped recover have all been taken care of. They were in perfect health the last time I saw them."

"Where are they now?" Ochaco asked, pushing through the bile that forced its way into her throat, "What's going to happen to them?"

Hosori gave her another reassuring smile. Ochaco felt relief flood her body, trickling into the ends of her fingers. It seemed that good news had arrived and it was helping alleviate her nausea.

"I believe they are being offered transport back to their home countries," was all Hosori offered. Ochaco quietly processed the news. Of course they were being deported. What other option was there? There was nothing more that she could do for them. Unfortunately, no amount of reasoning could soothe the need to give more aid to her rescues. She was a hero after all; it's what she did. Ochaco shared a look between Mina and the physician who only gave her a shrug of confusion.

"Well that explains a lot..." Uraraka grumbled, crossing her arms in frustration. Mina gave her a sympathetic chuckle. Hosori cleared her throat and Ochaco's hopes fell through at the sight of the severe look that returned to the captain's aged face. Ochaco did her best to sit up straighter and mentally braced for what was coming.

"So, Uravity... Mind you this is just precautionary. There will be a more appropriate time for you to answer questions about the incident yesterday but I just... I just need to have some peace of mind." Well this was different. When was the captain ever this unsure?

"Go on, Cap," Ochaco offered with a determined smile, "Hit me."

"Do you have connections to the criminal known as, 'Deku?' There are some rumors that he was down in the subway with you but we couldn't find any evidence."

"Uh, captain? Who is Deku?" Ochaco lied. She inwardly cursed at being cornered so unexpectedly. She and Mina had started a minor investigation since the warehouse raid. They hadn't made much progress, which was all well and fine. It really was more of a pet project for Uraraka than an official case for the agency. The two had been very careful with their prodding but this had the potential to look very bad for them. Thankfully, it seemed Hosori took the bait. She heaved a sigh of relief and ran a gnarled hand across her face.

"He is... He's a villain. Not much is known about him. What we have from the raid where you led the charge amounts to just whispers. And with the open attack yesterday, a few of the criminals we booked claimed that he was present. You don't recall seeing anyone with a strange mask do you? Maybe one that looked like a rabbit?" Ochaco took a moment to think it over before shaking her head. Of course there had been people with strange costumes and looks. In her memory, she only recalled a few faces. The green skin thugs, the two women who helped her out, the crowd of rowdy criminals. _A pair of emerald eyes_. Nothing like a rabbit mask jumped out at her.

Captain Hosori gave a nod of satisfaction and stiffened up again. Ochaco took note obvious the officer made her transitions, as if making it a point to have other people notice the swing in mood.

"Very well. Thank you again, Uravity. We'll be asking for your reports a full twenty-four hours after your discharge here. Pinky. Doctor." With a quick salute, Captain Hosori walked off at a breakneck pace. Left in the wake of Hosori's dust, the three only exchanged another confused look before the doctor began to speak.

"All right, Ms. Uraraka. I'm Doctor Fujima. You passed out after your little adventure yesterday. We took the standard tests and it just seems you overdid it. We're going to keep under observation for the next day. Just a precaution, you know. Pretty standard stuff here... Right, so we've just got to make sure you're not dehydrated and then you should be good to go. Anyway questions?"

"Yeah," Ochaco started with an edge in her voice, "Is it really necessary to keep me out another day? I've got work to get to. And what's with the bandages? I thought you said I passed out."

"Yes, well, there were some... mistakes when you were being handed over to us. Let's just say that Lemillion and Halogin were trying to be extra helpful. Thankfully those are just superficial wounds. And yes, it actually is necessary to keep you here. I want to make sure that you're in full health. You're a pro, after all. It'd be a shame if you went back out into the field only to come back here because we were careless with your recovery."

Before Ochaco or Mina could get in another word, Fujima walked off in the same direction Hosori had. Ochaco threw her hands up with an exasperated gasp. It was bad enough that she lost a whole day from passing out, but to keep her cooped up here for another twenty four hours? Absurd. Absolute madness. Mina gave her a sympathetic rub once again.

"Hey, it could be worse?" Ashido offered with a little hope in her voice. Uraraka gave her a skeptical look, pouting slightly while her friend continued to talk. "Speaking of... I kinda, maybe, called your parents?"

"What?!" Ochaco bolted upright and fell back down in pain. The sudden movement irritated her stomach, causing new spins of dizziness to engulf her mind. She squinted through her agony at Mina who was sheepishly explaining herself.

"Yeah, so I called them right? But, like, they didn't pick up. So I left them this innocuous voice mail. Well I guess they watched something on the news 'cause they called a couple hours ago and they were maaaaaad. You should maybe call them back."

Ochaco seethed, ignoring her stomach gnawing itself into oblivion. Mina could only blink at her partner as she handed over a small phone. Uraraka snatched it and took a moment to look it over. It was sleek, new, and shining. It wasn't her own.

"What happened to my phone?" she asked, not wanting more bad news. Unfortunately, Mina's face was all the answer she needed. "Shit. That's just great."

"Yeah, it musta fell out of your pocket during the whole fight in the subway. Anyway, someone dropped this off at the office for you, fresh outta the box. I think it was paid for by someone you saved. We made sure it wasn't rigged or anything so it's safe."

Ochaco turned over the phone in her hands, inspecting the gleaming plastic. It wasn't uncommon to get gifts from the people they rescued but this was a little over the top. _At least it isn't a crazy expensive one... _she thought as she laid it on her lap. Ochaco felt Mina's eyes on her and looked up.

"What's up, Mina? Everything ok?"

"Well to be honest, no. Why'd you lie to Hosori about you-know-who?" Mina whispered, agitation fixed upon her face. Ochaco gripped the phone in her hand a little tightly. Guilt mingled with the wracking nausea in her stomach while she spoke.

"I didn't want to endanger the agency, Mina. Imagine what it would look like to her! We just opened up our own agency and all of sudden we're wrapped up in some crazy stuff with this Deku? Not a great look. This agency is everything we've worked so hard for and if I got us in hot water because of some project? No, that's not fair to us. Not to you."

Mina took a moment to hang her head. Ochaco watched her pink friend run her hands through her hair, frustration practically vibrating off the acid hero. Uraraka gave her a quizzical look which stayed until Mina explained herself.

"You're right! You're right. It's just that, well, we might have actually already gotten mixed up with this guy before."

"What?!" Ochaco hissed.

"Ok, so here's what we have so far: nothing. His name is Deku. That's it. We don't know what he does, or why he was there at the warehouse. I figured that those traffickers were just walking in on his territory. Only, dig this: we've seen this kind of stuff before. Remember that wild drug bust? The one shortly after we opened up?"

"Yeah," Ochaco answered slowly as her brain cranked out the memory, "We got there and the whole crew had already been tied up. Like a present or something. Wait, that was him?!"

Mina gave her a slight shrug. Ochaco was reeling. Just how much was this guy involved in? And why did Hosori label him a villain if he was taking out the bad guys? Things weren't adding up. The look on her partner's face told Ochaco that Mina was thinking the same thing.

"I think we actually need to dig deeper on this, 'Chaco. The Cap doesn't go snooping around small time crooks for nothing. I think this guy might be the real deal."

"You're right," Ochaco slowly mused, "If he's bigger than we know, this could mean a lot of good things for us if we bust 'im. Imagine the headlines! We could rival the Endeavor agency!" Mina burst out laughing which Ochaco found contagious. They trickled into a light chuckle before being shushed by a passing nurse. A moment of companionable silence passed between them. Ochaco felt a sudden rush of gratitude toward her partner. It was nice to have such a close friend be a reliable confidante in uncertain times like this. Mina stood up and stretched with a little pop sounding out from her spine.

"Where should we start? We've got no leads and this guy's MO just seems so weird," Mina whined.

"Well, we could take a look at some of the statements from the drug bust, the raid, and yesterday's fight. See if there's anything that might even hint at this guy being around. We can also poke around the other agencies. Ask what they know without making it too obvious."

"Or, " Mina interrupted, "We do this: you get better. Then when you're clear to come back to the office, we'll start really working on this Deku problem. I'll give you everything I can find but you'll steer this thing, got it? You are the one who started looking into this."

"You bet, Mina!"

The two heroes chatted for a bit, discussing the happenings at the office while she was out and the aftermath of the fight that caused Ochaco's stint in the hospital. It was early evening when Mina made her way out of the hospital and back to the office.

"You owe me for covering you. I want, like, a long, loooong weekend 'Chaco!" she warned before she left for the office. Ochaco rolled her eyes, waving her friend away as she left. Ochaco let her hand drop as Mina's footsteps faded away. She felt drained. Nothing about this Deku made any sense and he was causing her more headaches. If Captain Hosori was interested then it would be better to start an open investigation the moment she returned to work. They'd be able to have access to police files and statements more easily that way. Ochaco bit her lip. It wasn't just that they had more work now. No, it was Deku's way of dealing with his rivals that gave her pause. There weren't any casualties and she swore that he was comforting that young woman at the warehouse. Villains don't comfort people. That's just how it was. What kind of crook was this guy? Some wannabe vigilante? Uraraka looked at her phone and contemplated calling her parents but decided against it. She had received enough weirdness for one day. Better to call them when she had more strength.

She made herself as comfortable as possible while her mind raced. Flashes of the fight from the day before played out as she closed her eyes. Just as her drowsy brain began to slow down, a pair of brilliant green eyes burned into her mind's eye. A comforting, warm voice called out to her, letting her know it was going to be ok, that she should release everything she had held up.

_It's ok, Uravity. Just let it go. It'll be fine._

She fell asleep believing the words.

* * *

The first Uraraka did after getting up from a fitful sleep was call her parents. She figured that they were throwing a fit over the lack of any word from her end. Better to get over with first thing in the morning. It didn't take long for the call to pick up. No amount of bracing could have prepared her for her father's mournful wrath.

"OCHACO!" Her dad's wail poured out of the earpiece and pierced her ear drums. Uraraka pulled back the phone widely, her face contorted into an unseemly cringe. "What happened to you?! Why didn't you call us yesterday? Are you well? What were you thinking?"

"H-hey daddy." Ochaco tried to take a diplomatic approach, knowing full well that her parents were going to wring her dry for being so careless. Her mother sounded off in the background with an angry screech.

"That Ochaco? Ochaco! What the hell were you thinkin' child?" She rolled her eyes as she switched the call to the video interface. A few beats passed as her parents fumbled with their own phone and suddenly their sunburnt faces filled her screen. They were squinting at the camera, confusion etched into the wrinkles on their face. She spat out a laugh as they continued to berate her for being reckless.

"You damn near gave us a heart attack and you're laugin' at us? Did your brain get scrambled from all those rocks that fell on ya?"

"Pffft! N-no, momma. I-I - pffft! - didn't get buried or anything. I promise, I'm ok. They're gonna release me a little later today. Can't wait to get outta here and back to work."

"Nuh uh, young lady," her father chided, "You'll be resting up till you're actually strong enough to go back. No more of this nonsense of working on yer days off."

Ochaco frowned at them. Just how much did Mina actually tell them. Ah well, no use in arguing with them. Ochaco smiled as they continued to fret over her. Her mother asked if there was any way Mina could cover some extra days while her father merely suggested that she take it easy at home. She almost shook her head. Didn't they understand that a hero's work was never done? Besides, there was an investigation to get underway.

"Sweetie, we say this outta love," her mother said, "But you gotta rest. You worry us so much and we know it comes with the territory but... but you'll always be my little girl. Just - just watch yourself ok?" Ochaco felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She watched her parents give her encouraging smiles as her father cut the call.

"Alright, we gotta go honey. Got surfin' lessons in a half hour. Be. Sure. To. Rest. You hear?"

"Yes, daddy." They waved her goodbye a little mournfully. Ochaco stared at her brown eyes reflected in the now dark screen. She felt like a failure. Ochaco Uraraka was a pro hero, a good one at that. She had made a name for herself, opened up an agency with a classmate, and fulfilled her dream to help her parents relax. Yet they were still worried about her. How much stronger would she have to get in order for them not to concern themselves? Despite the leaps and bounds she made, moments like these reminded her that it would never be enough. She felt a deep exhaustion well up in her, pooling at the center and spreading to the very tips of her appendages. It would never be enough no matter how hard she worked. At least that was how it felt.

She shook her head, shrugging off the negative thoughts. Her parents were grateful, of course. They took every chance to announce how proud of her they were, how much they loved her. She just wished she could reach a point where it would feel like she actually accomplished something. Ochaco took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. For now, all she had to do was rest. If that was the case, then would focus all her energy on recovering as quickly as possible.

A few hours later, Uraraka found herself stiffly walking around the discharge hall. Mina had been wise enough to bring the spare change of clothes that Ochaco kept at the office for emergencies. The muscles in her legs refused to work correctly as she shuffled on the tiled floor towards the nurses' desk. Sitting behind a brightly lit monitor was a disgruntled looking man in pale green scrubs. He typed furiously and pointedly ignored her as she approached the desk. Ochaco waited a few seconds, clutching the doctor's hand written notes like a talisman. She coughed gently to catch the man's attention. He looked haggard. The beginnings of a very short beard clung to his face, large bruised bags hung under his eyes. The nurse gave her a grunt when he finally looked away from the monitor. He held out a hand, resuming his work with the other hand. Ochaco placed the slip of paper into his meaty fingers and recoiled when he aggressively pulled back. The nurse scanned it quickly and began typing furiously as he spoke.

"Doc says you need to rest for at least two more days. Follow up with your PCP if you feel the need. If you experience any more nausea or digestional issues, come back immediately. Got it?"

"Y-yeah." Ochaco gave the nurse a weird look. He looked, stopping his typing in mid action. His face softened and he rubbed his face roughly. The exhaustion became more pronounced as he pulled the skin around his eyes.

"Sorry, miss. It's just been a rough couple of days. There's been a constant stream of patients coming in off the streets," he said, dropping his voice and leaning towards her, "According to some of the cops that've been here, there's some kind of rampage going on out there."

"Rampage? Like a killing spree?" Ochaco grew concerned. The nurse shook his head, shaggy hair swaying with the swivel.

"No that's the weird thing. While this guy's targeting just about everyone, dig this: he's leaving them _alive_. A few broken bones, concussions, but not a single death. Most folks just end up having a hangover from the stuff he knocks them out with."

Ochaco stiffened. _Deku_. The thought pierced her sharply, leaving no room for error. She wanted to press more but without Mina or her work on hand, Ochaco wouldn't make much progress. If anything, she would just feed her anxiety more fuel. The nurse changed gears and gave her some discharge paperwork with a little more cheer gleaming in his eyes. At long last, she was free. Uraraka walked out into the bright daylight through the sliding double doors. Pressure built up in her as she watched an ambulance pulled up to the emergency entrance.

_Wonder if that's another one of Deku's victims_, she pondered. Ochaco hesitantly pulled her gaze away and began to march her way towards her apartment. It was hard for her not to bother the EMTs pulling someone out of the ambulance. They had a job to do and it wasn't worth interrupting them to satiate her curiosity.

It was a beautiful Spring day, the pale sky filled with a slight chill that was offset by the sun's warmth. Roving crowds milled about the sidewalks and grew denser the closer she got to her apartment building. She felt a smile on her lips despite the worries gnawing at her thoughts. With such a lively energy in the world, how could she feel so anxious? There'd be time to capture Deku another day. Now was the time to just enjoy the moment. Uraraka pressed on, humming softly to herself, lost in her own world. She had a slight glaze over her eyes and mulled over the paperwork waiting for her at the office. It wouldn't be a fun few weeks going back to work but for now, she just took in the day's warmth while she walked home. For now, there just wasn't time to worry.


	7. Catching a Scent

Ch. 6 Catching A Scent

"The bitch is back!"

Ochaco hung her head and heaved a laborious sigh at Mina's voice. Uraraka hadn't made it two feet past the wide, frosted glass doors of their agency when her partner decided to announce her presence. Their office was modest with only four cubicles, two offices, and three changing rooms. It was usually empty, save for a couple of sidekicks or interns who were stationed at a desk to take calls. Today, however, it seemed like everyone had brought their mother with them. A small crowd stood before her, pausing their milling about to stare at the returning hero. She gave them an embarrassed smile and fought back the blush that crept up on her round face. Not satisfied with a mere blush, Mina began to dance around her with a pair of pom-poms in hand. Uraraka watched on in paralyzed horror as Mina pranced about, waving her arms wildly about. It took a moment of pushing past her mortification to recognize that Mina was wearing a U.A. cheerleading uniform.

"I-is that our old cheerleading uniform?" Ochaco asked knowing full well that it was. Mina gave her wink and stuck out her tongue.

"Still fits! All that patrolling I had to do while you were at home did the trick." She gave Ochaco another wink and hugged her tightly, careful not to get the pom-poms in her face. "Anyway, you were missed, obviously, but this bitch is going away for several days. Your office is a mess, you have some calls from Captain Hosori, and one of our sidekicks may want to quit. Ok, byyyyyyyeee!"

"M-Mina! Wait!" Too late. The last thing she saw of Mina was the pink skin of her arm gleaming in the bright Spring morning light as she waved goodbye. Grumbling and dejected, Ochaco turned back to the crowd looking expectantly at her. She rubbed the back of her neck and gave a nervous chuckle.

"Okay. Who's first?"

It was a hellish morning. Ochaco spent a few hours parked in her office, listening to calls, complaints, and comments. She started with her sidekick, Hikari "Stoplight" Nomura. The young gun marched through her door, hero suitcase in hand along with a pout on her face. Hikari had been with the agency long before it opened. She had been an intern at Mina's previous job, and it was Ashido's idea to poach her for their own. Ochaco was grateful for the rookie. She was hard working and full of the youthful energy that Uraraka herself seemed to lack nowadays. The pro hero watched with wary eyes as the spitfire youth roughly dropped her metal suitcase and huffed. They were still and silent for a moment, the air becoming stifling with the tension being emanated from Hikari. Ochaco opened her mouth to start, but was quickly cut off by her.

"Look, I'm just gonna cut straight to it: I want out!" Hikari fumed, heaving her breath through gritted teeth. Ochaco did her best to remain neutral and only blinked silently as a response. Hikari stewed in her own rage for a few more seconds before slamming her palm on the chair sitting in front of Uraraka's desk.

"I'm sick of being unappreciated around here! I'm running myself ragged with all the night shifts, and I haven't seen my girlfriend in over two weeks. I thought things would change when you and Ashido opened this place, but it's all the same."

Ochaco winced. Hero work took its toll on the pros and their loved ones. The worried voices of her parents echoed in the back of her mind and mingled with the last, smoldering look from a pair of narrowed red eyes. It was a hard life. Not being able to see your significant other or your family and friends exacerbated the problems. She breathed in deeply, looking serenely at her ward with as much sympathy that she could muster.

"Hikari, please take a seat. I can look at the schedule again; you're way overdue for a few days off." Ochaco cleared off her work space, waiting for her computer to blink life into the dusty monitor. "Your work hasn't been overlooked. I mean, just last week you wrapped _two _really big cases that got us in the news. A serial thief and that racketeer? Phew! Color me impressed. It's just that, with what happened the other day, everyone had to pick up my slack. I'm sorry for that."

"O-oh, n-n-no, Uravity!" Hikari stammered with her face flush, "Th-this has been going on since I started here. I keep getting the crap shifts, and I've got nothing to show for it."

Ochaco hummed thoughtfully as she hammered the keys on the keyboard quickly. With a few clicks of her mouse and some more typing, she had pulled up the spreadsheet the office used for everyone's work schedule. Uraraka pulled a face as she scrolled through it. Mina had made a mess of the document and it was going to take some time to fix, but for now she had to zero in on Hikari's problem. Ochaco felt the rookie cautiously watch her while she clicked and typed away. Eventually, she finished and cleared her throat before turning her attention back to Hikari.

"Ok, so here's what I've got for you," Uraraka said with a curt finality in her voice, "You'll finish out this week's schedule. But, you'll only work three days for the next month while the rest of us take on some extra time. Myself especially. Any questions?"

Hikari blinked. Her expression was pensive and hard to discern. Ochaco felt a beat of worry as her ward continued to stay silent. Fortunately, the rookie jumped out of her chair with a face full of excitement. She almost began hopping in place out of pure joy.

"You really mean it boss? Three days a week for a whole month! Th-that's incredible! How can I ever thank you?"

"You can start by helping me with my desk," Ochaco joked, "Mina really let this place go. I gotta take care of this mess before anything else." She gestured to the mountain of overstuffed folders, unopened letters, and stray sheets of paper to her left. It was almost piled up as high as her monitors. Hikari started to move some of the mound, but was cut off by Ochaco.

"I was kidding. Just get out there, and keep people safe ok?" The rookie gave her a firm nod, turned heel, and marched right to the door. She came back in a few seconds later with a sheepish look on her face. Hikari pointed towards her left behind suitcase and quietly took it up.

"T-thanks again, Uraraka. Mina tried her best, but I guess she was overwhelmed."

"It's really no problem," Ochaco mumbled as she waved her off. She spent several minutes sorting through the pile into type and urgency. Once she had six neat piles splayed out on her desk, Uraraka flopped into her chair and turned her attention to the phone that impatiently blinked at her. This was the task she had been dreading since she dragged herself through the doors.

Picking up the receiver delicately, as if it might go off in an explosion with any jarring movement, she began to cycle through the messages left for her. To Ochaco's surprise, the majority of her messages were from Captain Hosori. As she listened on, Uraraka noticed the captain's voice grow more agitated. It was almost amusing had it not been for the increasing urgency on Hosori's end.

_"Uravity. This is Captain Hosori. Calling to see if you have returned to your office yet. Clearly you are still recovering. No matter. Please feel better soon and call me back when you receive this message."_

_"Uravity, this is Hosori. I take it you're still out. Call me back as soon as possible."_

_"Uravity, it's Hosori. Your partner has been no help whatsoever. Call me back. I'll try you at a personal number if I have to."_

_"Uraraka, it's Hosori. I really need that report. ASAP. Call me."_

_"Uraraka, it's Am- er, Hosori of precin- never mind. You know who it is. Just call me, dammit."_

Ochaco jotted some minor notes for the remaining two messages to deal with later and listened through Hosori's calls once more. Afterward, she pulled the receiver away from her ear and stared at it incredulously.

_I'm going to have to pay the captain a visit. Something tells me she wants to talk about more than my report..._

A soft knock at her door pulled her out of her thoughts and she tore her eyes away from her phone's display. For a brief moment Ochaco thought it was Hikari back for round two. Standing in her doorway was a scrawny man in a garish tan uniform. His shirt was made of pockets and his shorts cut off at mid thigh, the folded hem straining against his muscles. He wore a matching hat that sat low and shapeless on his mass of dark hair. The delivery man was reading a clipboard in his left hand intently while his right gripped a shabby parcel close to him.

"Ah, Miss... Uravaka? That can't be right. Anyway, Miss Uravity, yes?" he said, never looking up from his paperwork. Uraraka quirked up an eyebrow at the initial name and nodded at him before realizing that he hadn't seen her acknowledgement.

"Yes, that's me."

"Right, this is for you," he said unceremoniously, placing the package down on her desk and handing the clipboard to her, "Please sign."

His voice was dull, almost bored, but there was a warmth there that resonated within herself. She signed quickly and tried to get a look at him. Unfortunately, he snapped up the clipboard, turning heel quickly. The only features she could see were freckles and his hair - unruly forest green curls that spilled out comically from under his hat.

"Thank you, Miss Uravity," he said as he stepped away, "Hope you're feeling better."

"Yeah, I am; thanks," she said with a halfhearted wave to him as he vanished behind her door frame. Ochaco bit her lip and sat back down. There was something familiar about that courier but she couldn't place him. Try as she might,, Ochaco just could not remember how she knew him. She pulled the parcel up to her with a sigh and inspected the packaging for a moment.

It was a large, beaten, padded envelope. Ochaco thought it would have fallen apart if not for the gobs of packaging tape that enrobed it. Dead center on the face of the package was the addressee information: Rainy Day Hero Agency. Underneath were several attempts at naming Uraraka herself. It seemed the sender couldn't decide on her name or her alias. Ultimately, it was sent to a "Ms. Uravaka," which gave her a good laugh. There was no information about who sent it posted anywhere. Ochaco opened up the package and pulled out a thick manilla folder. She gaped at the pristine, neat contents. It looked one of her own case files, filled with clipped photos and pages upon pages of notes. After a few quick flip throughs, Ochaco opened the file up to the first page and frowned.

Four pictures were stapled to the sheet of paper with names underneath them. She recognized Captain Hosori immediately, standing erect and regal in an official Hosu PD photograph. Then there was the young lady she had helped save at the warehouse raid. Her picture was a mug shot, the yellow jumpsuit and gray concrete background serving only to frame her disheveled looking hair and sad face. Above her name was neatly written, "Yuang."

The other two pictures took a moment to recall. Framed in a victorious pose with his arms up above his head was the pale visage of Egin Naosoma, a.k.a. Halogin. His snow white bodysuit clung to his wispy body, platinum blonde hair hanging over a pair of yellow visors. She didn't know much about Egin other than he had recently graduated from her alma mater and was rumored to be very ambitious. Next to Naosoma was Shinjirou Mori. He was a balding man whose dark hair clung to his exposed scalp. His face was squashed over a few folds on his neck, giving him the appearance of having permanent indigestion. Ochaco stared at his photo and tried her best to recall who he was. It was on the tip of her tongue but she just couldn't make out who he was. _Maybe he's a TV personality? I swear I've seen him somewhere. _

None of this made sense. Questions ran through her mind, trying to make everything clearer about this file but only making it all more tangled up in the process. Ochaco turned the page and noticed a sticky note attached the back of the flyleaf. The kanji was shakily written but still legible.

"_'I need a second pair of eyes on this. Thought you were the best to help me out,'_" she read out loud, "But who is it from?" She started reading more through the pages, running her hand over the scrawled out notes. The snippets that she casually glanced at in the first half were pretty chaotic and accusatory. The author clearly felt that Hosori, Egin, and this Mori were all connected to Yuang somehow. There were paragraphs of theories but nothing substantial that would hold up to any scrutiny. Especially with no evidence. The rest was a jumble of numbers that made her a little dizzy at first glance. It was curious that one part of the file was merely speculative nonsense and what followed appeared to be an accountant's ledger

Who had sent this? Why had they sent it? The sudden thought that the pages might be infused with poison crossed her mind and she dropped it on her desk. Ochaco marched over to the washroom adjacent to her office, cleaned up, and picked up her visor on the way back. A few minutes of running scan diagnostics revealed that it was just ordinary paper and ink. Her database's closest match to the handwriting was none other than Shoto Todoroki. Uraraka breathed in relief.

"Todoroki..." she growled to herself, "Don't scare me like that." The pro put the file aside and got to work on the remaining paperwork stacked on her desk. It took her the better part of five hours to sort through what needed filing, shredding, or recycling and another hour or two to finish Hosori's much desired report. Ochaco would have finished sooner, but she kept being drawn to the mailed case file. She perused it at her leisure, not reading it in depth, and taking frequent breaks from it to get back to her work or stretch. Ochaco wasn't sure why she kept coming back to the file but something about the handwriting bugged her. She hadn't spoken to Todoroki in sometime, much less read something he had scrawled out. Uraraka shook off the nagging suspicion, and gathered her work up into a satchel. It was time to turn in her report and pay a visit to a classmate.

* * *

Uravity vaulted over another duct, landing square on the concrete ledge and kicked off to soar through the air. With her quirk activated, the pro hero was propelled forward with some speed. She streamlined her body, arms at her sides, as she activated the rocket boosters in her boots. With the extra acceleration that her support gear allowed her, Uravity began to cut through the skyline like a bird.

There was a freedom up here that Ochaco was rarely afforded. Often her flights were short, interrupted by crimes or emergencies that she came across while traversing the sky. Her hectic work life consumed much of her time, and she made it a point to enjoy these quiet moments whenever she got the chance. It was early evening now. The sun hung low in the sky, painting the clouds miles above her in hues of bruised pink and embered orange. Uravity flipped her body so that she could look up and admire the atmosphere that encased the world around her. The temptation to cut her boosters and just float for a few more minutes crossed her mind but her earpiece began to beep quietly in warning of the building she was about to collide with. Uravity sighed before folding her body at the hips so that her feet went above her head. Using the momentum from the movement, she straightened herself out. She angled her feet several times so that she got back on course towards Hosori's precinct. Her stomach tightened a little from the pressure of her Quirk use and all the jostling. Thankfully, her destination was within sight. She pressed on and soothed her tumultuous guts as best as she could with the thought that she could relax soon.

Precinct 491's building was not the tallest building in the Hosu but it could easily have been in the top ten. It took up half a city block on its own and towered over the area. A sentinel of justice watching the movement of everyone that passed it's way. Made of seamless slabs of concrete which were broken up by the harsh, framed plexiglass windows, the Four-Nine-One tried very hard to disrupt its intimidating presence with the two golden statues that flanked the entrance stairway. With their fists raised in perpetual victory, Lemillion and All Might stood tall and proud in gleaming, polished bronze. Uravity smiled at the statue's carved grins, landing gracefully on the sidewalk. She took a moment to steady herself and fiddled with the satchel strap that was slung across her body.

Uravity was greeted with a raucous scene the moment she stepped through the heavy wooden doors. Uniformed officers were scrambling about the lobby with papers clutched too closely to themselves. Others were rushing to answer phones while some were huddled together checking their equipment before heading out on patrol. She shook her head at the pandemonium unfolding before her. Most of the precinct buildings she had visited were a little more organized but that was often because the beat cops were swept away so as to hide all the chaos from guests. Hosori, it seemed, wanted to put her officers on notice.

Maybe she's trying to shame them into doing better? Uravity thought to herself. She stepped through the crowded hall gently, avoiding those zipping by her carefully so as not to make them drop anything. The floor opened up on both sides the closer she got to the elevators. Rows and rows of cubicle walls spread out to the far corners of the building. Masses of officers milled in and out of sight, disappearing or seemingly apparating from behind the beige dividers. Uravity piled into the elevator with a few cops and waited patiently as one of them politely addressed her.

"What floor, Miss?"

"Um, do you happen to know what floor Captain Hosori is on?" Uravity asked. She watched curiously as the officers exchanged a subtle look amongst themselves. The one closest to the elevator console kept an even look but she noticed the briefest swipe of their eyes to the side as if catching someone's signal. They cleared their throat and answered.

"Captain Hosori isn't in today, ma'am. We can escort you to her office if you'd like, or you can try again tomorrow." Uravity blinked at the mechanical tone the cop spoke to her in but tried to mask her surprise at the news.

"Oh, if you wouldn't mind taking me, I'd really appreciate it."

Two minutes later, the elevator dinged and the door slid open to a very quiet, pristine landing. Ten empty desks were lined up square and neat with a large office facing her from the very back. Adjacent to the closed office door was a desk with a single occupant typing away quickly, a bored expression on their face. The officers in the elevator cab nodded towards the hall and gave her a polite farewell, fading away from sight as the door closed again. Uravity stared out at the elevator, stunned by the strange reception she had been given so far. A shrill voice called to her from behind.

"Ah, Miss Uravity! Thanks for coming in, but the captain isn't in today." The pro hero made her way to the only occupied desk and shook hands with the woman sitting in front of the office. "I'm Keike, Hosori's assistant." With black hair cut into a bob, red lipstick that stained her slightly yellowed teeth, and make-up that failed to hide her wrinkles, Keike looked bemused at the pro hero's appearance. She gave Uravity a once-over and leaned back in her chair.

"So Captain Hosori's out? That doesn't sound like her," Uravity pried, trying to make small talk. Keike gave her a smirk and turned back to typing.

"Yeah, she had to take care of her grandkids all of sudden. I dunno, maybe she'll be back tomorrow." That was news. She hadn't pegged Hosori as the family type. Keike held out her hand in expectation. Uravity took a moment to understand the gesture before digging into her satchel for the report. Her fingers brushed against the file she received. She contemplated leaving it for Hosori, but the words on that sticky note flared against her brain.

"Uh, Miss Uravity?" Keike asked. The assistant had an inquisitive look on her face that pulled the pro out of her thoughts. Quickly handing out the small stack of stapled papers, Uravtiy stiffened up and thanked Keike for her help.

"Oh, one more thing," she asked before leaving, "Do y'all have roof access here?"

Minutes later, the pro found herself leaping off the roof of the precinct in the descending evening. The air was thick with the day's warmth and she relished how it kissed her skin as she raced towards her next destination. It was a welcome distraction from the thoughts warring inside her mind. _Why didn't I give Hosori this file? I mean, I'm sure if it did come from Todoroki, he'd be happy to give me another copy. Was it because she was in it?_

The majority of what she had read earlier seemed more like an accountant's ledger than a case file. Time stamped transactions and recieved deliveries were notated in Shoto's scratchy handwriting. She mulled it over and over in her mind but couldn't place what about the whole thing was bothering her. Maybe she had to read the entire book more closely. Hopefully Todoroki would clear up what he was investigating.

The Endeavour Agency building was as tall as the Four-Nine-One's home base. In the darkening sky though, it had a more ominous gloom about it. The flood lights interspersed on the building's face cast deep shadows that engulfed any cheer or warmth from the red bricks that built it. Endeavor had moved his office several times over the last few years. His agency continued to grow in size and there were rumors that he was mulling over branching out into other cities. Apparently, there wasn't enough crime for him to solve in Hosu. There was also the addition of some of the more prominent Sidekicks. His own son, Shoto, being the biggest amongst them. Droves of upcoming heroes swarmed the agency every Spring in hopes to join but within the last three years the acceptance rate had dropped significantly. Now it was full to capacity with busy heroes, even now in their new location. It had been almost a year since she last visited Endeavor's agency and it would have stayed that way had it not been for that vexing file.

Apprehension bubbled up inside of her the moment she landed on the front steps. Uravity looked up, attempting to calm the storm brewing in her mind and gulped down her fear. She walked and tried to ignore the heaviness that pooled in the bottom of her feet.

_It's ok; you're a pro. Pro's visit here all the time. You're here to see Todoroki. Just ignore him if he's even here…_

Uravity stepped through the entrance and breathed out with a sharp gasp. She was greeted by a single hallway that stretched the length of the building. Just past the greeter's desk were two walls filled with elevators. After speaking with the eldery attendant, Uravity walked up to an elevator on the right, entered the cab, and rode for what felt like a few solid minutes. Every floor she passed was announced with a sharp ding! The sound was harsh enough to cause fresh waves of anxiety to pass through her. Her knees buckled a little as she stepped out onto the top floor of the agency. It was uncommonly quiet up here, with the majority of the space made up of offices and meeting rooms. A few desks were splayed out to the right but there was only one occupant sitting there. Burnin' looked up from her work, the determined look on her face melting into a bright smile as she waved at the newcomer.

"Well as I live and breathe. Uravity! How the hell are ya? Been a while, eh?"

"Yeah, almost too long right?" Uravity joked, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. When she had been a frequent visitor to the office, Burnin' was a face that she had become quite familiar with. The two had grown close and teamed up several times every time Uravity was in town. When she moved into Hosu, they had made plans to get together for lunch or movie outings. Empty plans that never came to fruition. The anti-gravity hero had missed Burnin' and her unique vibe but with everything that had happened shortly after moving into town, it wasn't a surprise that the two couldn't reconnect.

"So, ya here to see the boss guy? I mean you ain't here to see...?"

"No! Noooo, not him. And not Endeavor either. I'm actually here for Shoto. I think he sent me this file today," Uravity explained as she pulled out the folder from her satchel, "He said he needed a second pair of eyes on it. Know anything about it? Seems like it's an ongoing thing."

Burnin' declined to take the file and shook her head. The fire hero leaned back, relaxing a little more into her chair. Muffled shouts reached them from out of the hallway. Uravity craned her neck with a cautious expression. Burnin' didn't even bother looking back.

"Shoto, huh? Well he's in a meetin' right now. Should wrap up in a few seconds if you wanna just walk over there." Burnin' returned to work on her monitor, which turned out to be a game of solitaire. Uravity blew out a raspberry in jest and squeezed her friend's shoulder.

"Thank's a bunch, Burnin'. I'll see you soon ok?"

She walked over to the right hallway where the muted voices were coming from. The heels of her boots clicked against the tiled floor but were soon drowned out by the increasing volume of shouting as she approached the end of the hallway. She recognized the gruff, commanding voice of Endeavor next to Shoto's monotonous tone. Unfortunately, there was someone else who began shouting and soon burst through the door in a haze of smoke and fire.

"You've gotta be shittin' me! We can't find this fucker because we've got jack on 'im. But now you tell me that everythin' you found is 'confidential'? Fuck that! I'll go find the bastard, and wring him by his goddamn neck!"

Katsuki Bakugo looked as hateful as he'd ever been. His eyes were bloodshot with rage, mouth stretched in a disgusted grimace, and business suit haphazardly clinging to his lean body. He hadn't changed one bit over the last six and half months (not that she was keeping count of course). From his awkward, bow legged gait to his unruly blonde hair, Bakugo was timeless in his own way. He had been looking over his shoulder to yell behind him and only became aware of Uravity standing there when he turned to face frontward. Bakugo stopped mid stomp, his hands digging into his pockets as he took in her presence. He usually wore a scowl, but his face smoothed out the longer he looked at her. Katsuki slowly, with intention, put his raised foot down to the floor and stood up. His eyes narrowed as he took her in but made no other expression.

"The fuck are you doin' here?" he asked in his graveled voice. Uravity did her best not to squirm under his red glare. She clutched the case file in her hands, as if it were a talisman that might ward off his ire.

"I'm here to see Shoto," she answered curtly and began to step towards the office he had just evacuated. Bakugo made to get in her way but she cut him short with a hiss. "I still have your crap at my apartment. Want me to mail it to you, or just toss it?"

"Tch! What the fuck ever." Katsuki stomped off and turned the corner of the hall towards his own office, flipping Uravity off before he vanished. Heavy footsteps came from behind and shook the ground beneath her. She turned to see Enji Todoroki marching past her. His broad, muscular body took up more space than she had anticipated in the wide hall. He gave her a brief nod before chasing after Bakugo, his own permanent scowl deepening.

"Bakugo! Get back here! We are not finished talking!"

Uravity watched him march off and sighed. The Endeavor agency truly never had a dull moment. She felt a very warm hand clap her shoulder followed by a slightly humored voice.

"Well this is a surprise, Uraraka." Shoto Todoroki gave her a small smile that looked a little out of place on his scarred visage. He had only grown more handsome the older they got but that was offset by his cold disposition. It had only been in their third year at U.A. that he opened up a bit to Momo, Iida, Tsu and herself. The five of them became extremely close friends until their jobs split them up. Like Burnin', Ochaco had thought this new opportunity in Hosu would allow her to connect with Shoto.

"Heh, hey Todorki. Exciting meeting in there?" Shoto's eyes narrowed in slight distaste but he gave a small chuckle before long.

"Between my dad and your ex, I don't know how I'm still here. What's going on? You're usually too busy for a social visit." Ochaco gave the half-and-half Quirk user a sympathetic pat on his arm before shaking her head. She handed over the file to him and he began to flip through it, a frown forming the further he got through it.

"I just got this today. I wanted to see what help you needed with this."

Shoto shook his head and looked her square in the eye, his jaw clenched anxiously.

"What do you mean? Why me?"

"Well, you sent it right?" Ochaco asked with confusion in her words, "That's your handwriting, isn't it? You should also talk to whichever intern sent this to me. They couldn't figure out what to call me."

"I didn't send this, Uraraka."

She blanched and snapped the case out of his hands. Shoto looked impassive as she began to sputter out in a panic. She was flipping through it to examine the script once more. As she turned the pages, she came across an empty sheet with a single business card on it. It was black with an embossed, green outlined rabbit on it. She plucked it out and inspected the business card before turning back to Todoroki.

"Y-you sure, you didn't send this to me?" she asked with desperation. He nodded in confirmation and pointed at the card in her hand.

"I didn't send that, but I think I've got an idea who did. I was just talking to my father and Bakugo about this rogue villain out there. We caught wind that there was a guy running around breaking up smuggling rings and some other operations. Thing is, he's also been building up some gang activity here in Hosu. Dad connected with a few people, and it turns out that this guy's been all over Japan. That," Todoroki shook his finger at the paper in her hand, "is his calling card. Be careful, Uraraka. This guy is bad news and very dangerous."

Ochaco closed the file, running a hand over the folder's face. She was half tempted to crush the card in her hand but stopped short. The brunette looked up at her friend and nodded in agreement.

"I will, promise. Mina and I are gonna take him down! I'm not gonna let some creep try and scare me off." Shoto gave her a smirk and leaned back, appraising her gusto.

"That so? Well, if you want help on the case I'd offer it. Thing is, as your ex pointed out, we don't have much to start with. It's weird. The info the police gave us suddenly became classified. I didn't get a chance to look at it before the decision came in."

Ochaco hummed thoughtfully at that. It was odd but luckily she had an appointment with a certain police captain coming up. She could try leveraging the file for some information. Ochaco gave him one more firm nod and took off. She tucked the file away as her mind raced to formulate a plan. This had to be Deku. The rabbit on the card, the mask at the warehouse raid, everything Hosori told her... There could be no question. And now he was mysteriously reaching out to her. That would be his last mistake.


	8. A Hair's Breadth

Ch. 7 A Hair's Breadth

Ochaco grumbled at the sound her phone blared at her. She was half tempted to get up and break the damned thing out of annoyance but decided against it. Having to replace a mint condition device when she just got it seemed like a waste. Cursing under breath as she peeled her blanket off, Uraraka stomped over to her bathroom where she charged the phone. It was the only available outlet left in her place which worked out in her favor. With where she kept it, her alarm forced her to get out of bed rather than blissfully ignoring it like she might have been tempted to. She changed her gait to a shuffle the moment her exposed toes touched the cold tile of her bathroom floor. Ochaco muted the blasted phone and fought back the instinct to slam it back down. Unfortunately, it lit up once again and started shouting at her.

"What the hell?" she half growled as she picked it up again. I just turned th- oh. It's only Hatsume calling me. Ochaco declined the call and hobbled back over to her futon. She hit her head against the pillow with a disgruntled sigh and wrapped herself back in a cocoon of blankets.

A second later she was thrashing out of her blankets and screaming as she fumbled back to the bathroom.

"Shit, shit, shit!" she hissed as she fought through her drowsy haze to unlock her phone. With bumbling hands, Ochaco got to the voice message waiting for her. Mei Hatusme's bright, chipper voice burst through the speaker enthusiastically with the timid sound of Melissa Shield in the background.

"Uravity! We've got news! Come on by the lab when you get a chance so we can do some maintenance and let you know what we found!"

"Ha-hatsume! Could you maybe call Uravity after we put out the fire?" mewled Melissa in a shaken timbre.

"Oh, just throw some coffee on it. It'll be fine, it's fine!" Click. Ochaco looked at her phone with a mixed expression of concern and disbelief. Several weeks had passed since the warehouse raid. Her own team couldn't make heads or tails of the small dart she found at the scene so she turned to the only people with enough technology to crack the lead: Hastume and Melissa.

She had gotten to know both innovators as she underwent her education at U.A. Hatsume had always been fervently inventing things that might blow up on hero class students. It got to the point where support items had to be classified under a special insurance category for the school. Their principal was still sore about that little issue even to this day; though, some healthy donations from Mei helped to calm the waters a bit.

Meeting Melissa, on the other hand, was a special case. All Might had chaperoned her class to a visit to I-Island in their first year of school. They were greeted by the American when they landed and quickly became friends with the majority of the class. The only exceptions were Shoto, who had still been cold to his peers back then, Bakugo, and Mineta - both for obvious reasons. For her own part, Ochaco had been polite and cordial but never really got close to Melissa. It wasn't a lack of trying. Things just never quite clicked for them. That is until Melissa moved to Japan to open a Support Gear development company with Mei. The news shook the economy and changed the game for heroes. For six years, they lead the industry in developing the best support gear, weapons, and software a hero could look for. Only the best and brightest technicians could work at Shield-Hatusme Industries. With Mei being Ochaco's exclusive support gear provider, the anti-gravity hero got closer with Melissa. She was even there to give some advice when the inventors' romance blossomed.

Of course, the best and brightest still took almost six weeks to figure out the dart she lent them. Ochaco had taken to working longer hours at the agency as a means to distract herself. She told everyone that she was just making up for the time she was off. Mina had insisted that she had more than surpassed her obligation, but of course Uraraka had to push herself even harder. Their investigation into Deku had gone nowhere, and Hosori was absolutely dodging them now. No matter how many calls, emails, or visits either made, it ended with them leaving empty handed. Meanwhile, the media started talking about the lack of criminal activity and were pinning the cause on Deku himself. There had been a noticeable dip since the raid - if you didn't include the off hand street brawl like a couple weeks ago . The streets were quiet and people were more visibly at ease. To think that this was the work of a villain! It was absurd. To make matters worse, according to some reporters, his nickname in the underground was "the New Symbol of Peace." The very idea that a crook was being called that made her see red. Ochaco had tracked down the gonzo newscasters to clear up the air. After facing her fury, it turned out that they were just trying to up their ratings with a made up story. Now, her only lead left was that single dart she had found. Sure, Ochaco had that case file, but that was likely from Deku himself. She would make sure to use everything at her disposal to catch this bastard.

Despite her complete exhaustion and soreness from overworking the last week, Ochaco got ready to meet the two inventors. She dressed up in some discreet street clothes and was out the door after filling up her favorite travel thermos with some questionable coffee that she had brewed. The morning air was filled with stifling light. She enjoyed the crisp air that nipped about her and walked quickly while trying to look inconspicuous.

It was quiet out. The usual traffic seemed muted but the faces she could see looked relaxed or happy. That was enough for her. Content people meant that her hard work was paying off. Uraraka staved off the last remaining dredges of her tiredness by sipping at a thermos filled with some home brewed coffee. She pulled a face every time the hot, bitter liquid touched her tongue. While being frugal had its advantages, Ochaco lamented her inability to splurge on a decent coffee for herself. She approached Edison Tower - as Hatsume had named it - Uraraka discreetly poured out her barely drunk beverage into a nearby flower bed. She hated waste but sometimes she just couldn't stomach the muddy stuff she forced herself to drink.

Being a pair of the best support gear innovators came with some perks. Namely money. Edison Tower filled her vision and she soaked in its bold form. It's peak soared straight into the sky and brushed the passing clouds. The body was made of windows which twisted and curved. A fold near the top peeked out from behind the building's front. Ochaco shook her head at the gaudy, modern miracle of architecture. She tucked her empty thermos away in her bag and mentally prepared herself to meet with the inventors.

Stepping inside Edison Tower's lobby was more of a treat than Ochaco liked to admit. Cool gray tiles gleamed in the light that poured in from the unobstructed windows. Support pillars and exposed metal beams were coated in a dull, muted shade of blue so that the sun's rays bounding into the building wouldn't completely blind its occupants. Dimly illuminated by hanging light fixtures were rows upon rows of dark, glossy tiles that were placed meticulously on the walls. The furnishings were a mix of rustic tables and sleek chairs. Sprinkled along the floor space were a few beige couches that looked very inviting. Uraraka wasn't sure exactly what about Edison Tower made her feel relaxed and focused, but she knew that she liked it. After speaking with someone at the welcome desk, Ochaco clipped the mandatory visitor's badge and took the short ride up to Mei and Melissa's personal lab.

Whereas the lobby (and the rest of the building, she imagined) was neat and orderly, the eighteenth floor was a terrible mix of "organized chaos" with "I give up." Piles of over stuffed files sat above random stacks of unopened boxes in the hallway. Many of the open doors revealed offices that were similarly arranged. Random sized boxes spilled out through the doorways and left very little space to actually enter the rooms. Carpeted floors and dull, unadorned walls made up the hall's parameters. Last time she had been here, Mei had nonchalantly promised to clean the place up. Ochaco shook her head as she walked towards the laboratory entrance.

Juxtaposed to the randomness behind Uraraka were the laboratory doors. Encased in a heavy steel frame, the doors had no windows and were coated with caution lines down the middle. A hand sized screen built into the frame hung on the left at eye level.

There was nothing signifying what lab room it was but Ochaco had visited enough times to know this was where Mei and Melissa hid most of their days. Uraraka tapped the screen, watching as life bled into the black surface. The back of Mei's head popped up and filled Ochaco's view, the long pink dreadlocks hanging heavily on her head. There was no sound and Mei looked as if she was standing rather stiffly. Ochaco pressed a green button on the screen and cleared her throat.

"Hey Hatsume, it's Uravity. I'm here about that update?" Ochaco watched with some concern as Mei skittishly turned around and fumbled with the screen on her side of the door. Hatsume seemed to be shooing and shushing Melissa. At long last, her boisterous voice came through.

"Uraraka! You're early. We didn't wake you up earlier, did we?" Ochaco only responded with an unamused stare. A cold hiss burst from the doors as they split apart quickly. She half expected smoke to seep out and billow around her considering how often she walked in on a failed Hatsume experiment. Uraraka stepped into the wide, well lit room. The left wall was lined with enormous computers that whirred and blinked with lights as they worked away at whatever programs were set to them.

On the opposite wall stood a row of clear door refrigerators, their contents just visible through the frost on the glass. Numerous tables with bits of equipment, wires, and tools filled out the majority of the spacious area. The morning light cascaded inside, bringing some warmth into the otherwise sterile room. Hatsume stood off to the left with a cheeky grin. She leaned against a table, waiting patiently in her signature tank top and overalls. A bead of sweat dripped down her face. Something in the air caught Ochaco off.

"Hatstume, is everything alright?"

"Yeah! Yeah, everything's fine. Melissa and I were just, uh..." Hatsume trailed off for a moment as she looked to the supply closet towards the back of the room. Melissa gingerly closed the door and had a surprised look on her face when she turned to Ochaco. Normally, Melissa looked put together. Now, though, her red framed glasses and long, flowing blonde hair were askew.

"O-oh, hey Uraraka," Melissa greeted with a tremor in her throat, "You're early, aren't you?"

"What's going on?" Ochaco asked pointedly. She placed her bag on a table and crossed her arms as she waited for a response. Uraraka took in the nervous glances that the two scientists kept shooting at each other. She relaxed for a moment as she took stock of the situation.

"Have... have things been ok between you two? Work isn't straining y'all is it?" Ochaco offered with a earnest look. Mei and Melissa blinked at each other before jumping in with enthusiastic cries.

"It's been terrible!"

"N-No, we're fi- MEI!"

The two began to bicker, finger pointed at the other while they shouted incoherently for a few minutes. Ochaco breathed in deeply and snapped her fingers. Silence blanketed the room quickly and the inventors stepped back for a moment. Ochaco scrutinized them with her eyes, scanning for anything out of the ordinary, and spoke.

"Look, I get it. This job is tough. It takes its toll. But you gotta stick together ya know? Melissa, your dad's retired out in the US and Mei, your parents don't visit as often right? You gotta figure this out. I couldn't stand the idea that you two couldn't put your brilliant minds to work to get through this."

She waved them over and held out her arms wide. They gave her a tentative look but obliged the pro hero in a group hug. With a squeeze, Ochaco let them go and watched their hands intertwine. They muttered their thanks and stood in an awkward pause before Melissa broke the ice.

"Oh! Ochaco, here: we got you some coffee!"

"Wait, really? Like seriously? Oh thank you both! I'm dying over here." Uraraka darted for the large cup of liquid gold and drank greedily. It was just the right temperature and tasted glorious. The rich aroma of well roasted coffee overtook her senses. She sighed as she looked at Melissa. "How'd you know?"

"Oh! W-well, you know us: always thinking ahead. A-anyway, thanks. For looking out for us," Melissa answered. The blonde turned heel and strode away to a less cluttered desk where her personal computer was located. Mei walked over to where Melissa was typing away. The crazed inventor wrapped an arm around Melissa's shoulders and gave her a loving squeeze. Ochaco felt her heart melt a little at the sight. To avert her gaze at the couple's intimate moment, Uraraka began inspecting the various gadgets and inventions that were in progress.

"So, what'd y'all find out?" Ochaco called out as she looked at a plain looking cane that hung suspended on a two pronged stand. It was strange that such an innocuous item was something that Mei or Melissa would be working on when there were more interesting equipment scattered about. Her inspection was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Hatsume's eyes.

"First! We do upgrades! Now, hold still," Mei said with a wicked smile on her face.

They spent the better part of the next hour outfitting Uraraka with various upgrades. Melissa hovered around Ochaco as Mei bombarded the pro hero with at least fifty pieces of new gear - all which were unnecessary. Undeterred by Uraraka's lackluster response, Hatume brought a wheel barrel full of equipment. Thankfully, Melissa stepped in and ended the charade. She pulled Uraraka away from Mei before she could dive into another frenzied episode of showing off her latest inventions. The two walked over to Melissa's computer where various windows of code were displayed. Ochaco couldn't make heads or tails of the programs running and chose to focus on Shield as she explained the software updates she was giving to Ochaco.

"So, I know you were concerned about network connectivity lag the last time you had an upgrade. It shouldn't be a problem now, but it works better when you are connected to the JARVES network we got set up. You do use it right?"

"Yes..." Ochaco rolled her eyes, lying through her teeth as she did so, "I also love how easy it is to log in to your fancy schmancy networks, Shield. Seriously, do you want people to use it or not?"

"Hmph. If it was easy, then any old villain could use it, and you should already know how much sensitive information is entrusted to us. It has to be hard to deter anyone unauthorized from getting in. Now, pay attention, because this is crucial."

Another twenty minutes passed as Melissa droned on and on about this or that security measure. If she didn't have to rely on the JARVES network every time she went out into the field, she could have ignored the whole thing. At long last, they arrived at the main course. Hatsume brought out a small black case from a drawer under one of the desks and handed it over to the pro hero. Ochaco opened it and felt a chill as she took in the contents.

A small dart casing made of green coated metal gleamed in the bright lights of the lab. The tiny sliver of a needle blinked out as it reflected what light it could. Ochaco closed it solemnly and looked at the inventors, waiting in a tense quiet for an explanation. Melissa swallowed hard as Mei started to talk.

"This was a fascinating find, Uravity! Can't believe someone gave this guy gear like this. If you take a look at the casings, you'll notice some very light striations ingrained on the metal. Normally, bullets have much deeper blemishes after being shot out so this would indicate a couple of things."

"Lemme guess: was it an air gun? There's no singing on the backend of the dart and it's not shaped like a regular bullet. So, Deku had something like an air pressured dart gun. What was the cocktail he pumped into the needle?" Ochaco allowed herself a smirk as Hatsume fell quiet, stunned at the hero's boldness. Melissa stepped in to save her girlfriend.

"That's... accurate. Nicely done, Ochaco. How do you know it was Deku, though? I thought you hadn't seen who shot these out?"

Uraraka shrugged. "I read Mina's report from the big street fight. You know, the one that knocked me out? According to some witnesses, Deku was spotted. There were some green crooks taking advantage of the chaos above the subway who apparently got taken out by him. Mina recovered their bodies after I passed out and found several crushed darts. They were identical to this one."

"Ah," was all Melissa gave. Ochaco took their silent moment as thoughtful reflection and continued.

"The autopsies said there was a weird substance in the villains' blood stream. Some kind of narcotic mixed with a strong doxylamine. Worked fast to knock them out which is how they got caught up in the avalanche of rocks. What'd you find?"

"That, along with fentanyl," Melissa answered. Ochaco ogled at her. "Yeah, I know. It's a dangerous mix but effective. The levels are just balanced that it won't kill you. Of course some people will react worse than others - or not at all - but that just depends on physiology."

"Yes, yes, yes - chemistry is interesting and all but the dart itself!" Hatusme inserted, "This thing is a work of art! It's made up of a delicate polymer of stainless steel and fiberglass. It has just enough give that it won't break upon ejection or impact and is simultaneously rigid enough that you can almost snipe people with it. I looked into a few of our rivals who might be producing something like this but came up empty. I think this Deku has his own supplier or lab."

Ochaco shook her head in disbelief. Even with the best minds set to task, this was still a dead end. Uraraka mentally kicked herself for expecting anything more than the worst case scenario.

"No, Deku's a broker amongst the gangsters and thugs out there. I can't see him exchanging information for gear. Money, yes. I wonder if he doesn't make his own stuff or outsource it to someone that's a neutral party. That could likely be the case. Were there any prints or other substances that you could find?"

"As a matter of fact, we did!" Melissa offered cheerily. She clicked a few times on her computer's mouse and turned her monitor towards Uraraka.

"So this is the composition that Mei found. As you can see, it's mostly metals. But there were trace amounts of resin and sodium on the casing."

"Sodium? Like, salt?" Ochaco asked with a confused expression. Mei and Melissa nodded in affirmation.

"Yup. And I broke it down even further. There's all sorts of carbon based materials clinging to this little bit of salt. Not to mention the algae. I'd venture to say that his HQ is on the shore. We took the liberty of getting you a couple of factories that use resin and are near the waterfront. There's about five - three in Oda, one in Nagasaki, and the last in Saikai. Given that resin is used for a lot of manufacturing, I'd probably start in Oda."

The inventors broke out into proud smiles that Ochaco returned, even if her's was slightly contorted with a frown. Those locations are on the opposite sides of the country... Still. A lead is a lead. Can't complain 'bout that.

Ochaco downloaded their findings on a drive while Hatsume chatted her away. Melissa sat quietly and smiled. The data was sizable so they had to wait a few minutes. With her arms full of wires, Mei chirped up with an innocent question.

"So, Uravity! Heard you were going to the charity ball in a couple of weeks?"

Ochaco groaned. She had forgotten that Mina was forcing her to go to that damn thing. Endeavor's agency ran an annual charity dance and silent auction. The money all went to a relief fund for victims of villain attacks. It was a big deal, especially considering that it was a very exclusive shindig. Thankfully, the owners of Rainy Day Agency had been invited by Shoto long before the limited tickets went out for sale. Ochaco hadn't been to one before but knew immediately that she'd be uncomfortable. Between the Todorokis bickering and her ex being present, it was going to be a real shit show. She rubbed her temples in aggravation. Ochaco nodded in defeat. Melissa gave her a sympathetic look.

"It's ok. We'll be there if you need someone to hang out with while Mina dances with Red Riot."

Ochaco gave her a bemused smile. Her download finished up and she gave her farewells to the inventors. She walked out of the laboratory with a strong feeling of direction. Things were looking up. Nothing could stop her now.

* * *

As the doors quickly slid shut, Melissa and Mei sighed deeply in relief. Their momentary reprieve was cut short by the supply closet opening. Dressed in his meeting mask and a sleek, pinstripe suit, Deku emerged from his hiding spot as brooms and mops tried to pull him back in. After fighting off the last strands of a mop that clung to his ankle, Izuku took a moment to compose himself before smiling at the two women standing in defensive positions.

"Huh," he said thoughtfully, "Wonder if there are any more tickets to that charity thing?"

Deku stepped around, carefree as he inspected some of the half built items on the tables. The room remained quiet and, despite how nonchalant he appeared, there was an immense tension between the three occupants. Izuku sighed. He rubbed his neck to ease the stiffness growing from the terse silence.

"Um, did she like the coffee at least?" His question was met with cold disregard. He sighed and tried to breach the ice once more.

"Thanks for covering for me," he offered. Melissa began to shake, her hands balled up into fists. Mei, similarly, looked at Deku with a venomous glare.

"Covering for you? Is that what you think? Let me tell you something, you crook! I have-"

"Let me just stop you right there," Izuku interrupted. He held a gloved hand up to emphasize the pause in thought and ignored the deepening rage of the inventors. Midoriya's eyes were fixed on the cane that Ochaco had seen earlier. Slowly, with reverence, Deku approached the sleek black cane. He ran his hands over the smooth surface and gently picked it up, as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

"Is this the goober?" He asked with awe, "Is it.. is it ready?"

Melissa had to hold Mei back. The American scientist put her entire weight into pushing her girlfriend away from Deku. Mei was doing her best to reach him and claw his eyes out.

"G-goober? Goober?! That damn thing is some of Melissa's finest work! Don't you dare insult her!"

"You know what I mean," Deku gave with an unamused look leveled at Hatsume. He was inspecting it and stopped at the metal plated tip. Melissa spoke up though she was still struggling to contain Hatsume.

"It's - er, Mei, please! - It's not ready yet. That hair sample you gave us proved to be very complex so it's going to take a little more time. Maybe even some more resources."

Deku only hummed thoughtfully as a response. He turned the cane over, twirling it between his fingers. After several more tests that Mei and Melissa could not make sense of, Izuku replaced the item on its stand. He pulled out a pad of paper and a tiny pen. Midoriya scribbled on the top sheet quickly, tearing it out when he was finished. He slapped it on the table next to where the cane sat and made for the exit.

"Money isn't a problem. Please take my suggestions into account. But overall? Fine work, ladies. Oh, and thanks for the refill on darts."

The doors hissed open and closed as Deku left. The scientist abandoned in his wake collapsed into each other's arms. Mei rocked Melissa who bit back sobs. They breathed quietly, taking solace in the calm that filled the air now that the tension had passed.


	9. Misstep

Ch. 8 Misstep

Ochaco groaned for the thousandth time that night. She was surrounded by bodies stuffed into frilly dresses or stiff tuxedos, and the constant thought that she'd rather be at home in her pajamas ran through her mind. Despite the warm day they had, Hosu was swept up with a chill that cut down to the bone. It didn't help that the dress Mina picked out for her was made of flimsy material. Ochaco felt exposed. She wore dark gray lacy armlets to match the patterned material that "covered" her shoulders and cut off and mid bust. Around her midsection was a black leather bustier followed by more of the dainty fabric that was draped on her shoulders that dropped all the way down to hang just above her ankles. She walked gracefully in the pale rose heels that she borrowed from Mina, avoiding bumping into any of the roving groups of guests that surrounded her.

Her stomach growled loudly, snapping her out of her discomfort over the dress. She became aware of how the blood rushing in her pounded painfully against her skull, and the deep bags under eyes from all the long working nights leading up to the gala. All she really wanted was a good night's sleep and maybe a decent meal. Not necessarily in that order. She grumbled and whined as she maneuvered her way over to the bar. Mina and Hikari stood dead center where they spoke with a harried looking bartender. Her two co workers were dressed to kill in tight dresses and tall heels. Mina giggled and did her best to exasperate the young sidekick by flirting with the bartender. Ochaco sauntered up to her partner and squeezed in between the two.

"How come you get the sensible dress," Uraraka complained, holding a finger up to the bartender in order to hush his barely formed question, "And I have to go around looking like used up tissue paper!" She pinched at the dress where her curves were most pronounced. Under her breath, Ochaco thanked Hikari for suggesting nude colored shapewear to give herself some peace of mind. Mina's appraising eyes scanned Ochaco, head to toe. Uraraka squirmed under Ashido's golden eyed stare and felt as if she might as well have been naked.

"Ochaco," Mina began with her index fingers steepled on her lips, "Remember that I love you and want you to be happy. But, girl, what the actual hell is wrong with you?"

"W-what do you mean? Me? You're the one who told me to wear this thing!" Ochaco countered savagely. The bartender plopped their drinks while clearing his throat. While the girls happily took theirs in hand, she looked at hers with suspicion. Uraraka shot a nasty look towards the bartender who only shrugged. "I didn't order this."

"I know, trust me I've seen this before," he answered her, "But you're probably gonna get a lot of drinks tonight because of that dress." Mina began cackling while Ochaco blanched. The bartender walked away without another word. She stared hopelessly at the drink in front of her as Ashido spoke again.

"See? You look like the baddest bitch in this place right now. If we weren't friends, I'd be hitting on you right now. That's how good you look in that dress."

"Um, it's, uh, i-it's true, Ms. Uraraka," Hikari gave. Ochaco turned to round on her and barely noticed that the sidekick's eyes had flown back up from where they had been resting. Uraraka felt her face heat up to match Hikari's own beet red look. She took a moment to nurse her drink before getting her head straight again.

"So y'all didn't order this for me?" Ochaco eyed the amber liquid in her hands suspiciously. Mina gave her a noncommittal shrug and Hikari shook her head vigorously, fighting with every ounce of willpower to keep eye contact with the brunette. The bartender returned, letting them know that it was time for dinner. Uraraka didn't manage to ask him who ordered the drink as Mina pulled her away.

"C'mon, 'Chaco. We gotta get our seats."

The three women pushed through the masses in search of the dining area. Endeavor and his agency had rented out the enormous ball room suite of Naavaro Suites. Ochaco had hardly stepped foot into anything fancier than the banquet hall U.A. had reserved for their graduation.

This was too much.

It was a two tiered room that spanned the entire length and width of the seven hundred room hotel. Opulent windows towered the spacious dance area where the moonlight that poured in melted on the immaculately polished hardwood floor. Four long tables were strategically placed along the length of the floor, serving as drink stations for anyone in the mood for a mixed beverage. Where the hardwood ended, it was met with a lush dark carpet that stretched out past the floor's entrance way. Splitting the atrium into two narrow walkways was a large, ornate staircase that twisted upwards to the second level. The dark wood was glossy with varnish and carved with intricate designs that were lost in the dim light. Glass sconces lined the walls every ten feet or so, blown and shaped to look like textured petals that dulled the warm light emitted from within. The top floor was split into two overhanging landings where a couple of dozen tables sat on either side. Many were empty, occupied only by some tea lights floating in the vase centerpieces and napkins folded into the shape of a flame. Seating appeared to be arranged strategically as they sat far from sight of the Endeavor sidekicks. Ochaco thought that must have been a Todoroki-Momo touch seeing as how her ex was going to likely be here tonight.

Ochaco checked the mask on her face, gloved fingers caressing the material. It contoured to her face rather well if not a little loosely around her nose. Mina and Hikari were fitting their own masks on as they sat down at their table. Ochaco slumped in her seat, propping her head up with an arm. She watched the other two chatter away animatedly with gossip or lecherously ranking their fellow guests. Her eyes drifted down to her untouched drink. While her table mates nattered on, she kept questioning who ordered for her. She shrugged and knocked it back in one go. Uraraka hissed pleasantly as the liquid burned her throat on its way down. Mina hollered and whooped, all sense of social decorum thrown out with Ochaco's glass being slammed upside down on the table.

"Now it's a party!"

Another half hour passed as they grew more relaxed - thanks to the half dozen empty glasses on their table - and the hall grew more crowded by the minute. Ochaco hazily recognized the tall, regal form of Momo Yaoyorozu walking in linked arms with Shoto. Both dazzled in what they wore as they seemed to glide across the floor. They were busy greeting the other guests and avoiding a boisterous blonde that was double fisting his drinks. Ochaco rolled her eyes at the sight of her ex. Bakugo called out to a voluptuous, statuesque hero with long rabbit ears pointing out past her long silver hair. Rumi "Miruko'' Usagiyama was wearing a sleek, tight qipao that had bold slits running up her beautiful, muscular thighs. Like Bakugo, Rumi was double fisting. They greeted each other like old chums, arms draped over each other's shoulders, and they bulldozed their way back to the nearest bar. Ochaco felt a small twinge as she watched them. Drinking with Mina and Hikari was fun but nothing beat a night out with Katsuki. He was loud and combative when sober, but she had learned over time that with some alcohol in him, Bakugo could be _so_ fun. She ruminated on some wild nights they shared when they were fresh out of U.A. Her eyes glazed a bit as she sipped at some water, staring off into her memories as the world around her began to blur.

She recognized a few more folks strolling in past the staircase. Egin Naosoma came through in a gaudy, white suit. Rather than looking brilliant like he had hoped, Egin ended up looking more dull and waxy in Uraraka's eyes. Melissa and Mei soon followed in his wake. They looked nervous as the crowd began to applaud their arrival. Egin visibly soured at the sight, stomping off to a bar in a dark corner where he miraculously disappeared. A hush soon fell upon the crowd and anticipation mounted as all eyes turned to the entrance. With a loud cry, a blonde, burly man in a crisp suit materialized out of the ground. With the momentum of his sudden appearance, he soared over the crowd.

"Pooooweeerrr!"

Mirio "Lemillion" Togata landed heroically in open space closest to the tall windows that looked out over Hosu. Ochaco joined the crowd in cheering the newly crowned number one hero who was busy greeting everyone with comical enthusiasm, his arms a blur as he shook and swung them. A deep, booming voice soon hushed the crowd once more when the former number one hero began to speak into a microphone.

"Welcome everyone," Endeavor said in his thrumming voice, "Thank you all for your generosity tonight. Your donations are greatly appreciated. With your help, we were able to fully fund the Peace and Recovery Foundation's entire budget for the next nine months. The Endeavor and Lemillion agencies have pledged to match your gifts one hundred percent."

Ochaco let out a loud shout that got lost in the roar that swelled around her. The cheering was infectious. Uraraka was stunned at Mirio and Enji's bold announcement. Her heart swelled with pride as she looked on at Lemillion. He had been working so hard since he graduated from U.A. and cemented himself as the next All Might. Hope followed where he went. Ochaco's gaze drifted over to Shoto and Momo who were happily chatting away to each other, taking advantage of the crowd's distraction. The tabloids were particularly invasive whenever they were even near each other, so Uraraka felt happy that they got a chance to breathe and catch up with one another.

Not far off from them was Bakugo. He stood alone and glared bitterly at Lemillion, swigging a beer in disgust. Uraraka shook her head. It was a pity he could never be happy for someone else's success. The cheering died out as Enji raised his hand. The elder Todoroki's piercing eyes gauged the crowd with a critical gleam brimming inside. He cleared his throat and spoke once more.

"Now, I'd like to invite my youngest son, Shoto, to say a few words before we begin tonight's meal. Shoto?"

Shoto looked as if he had swallowed the used up grounds of yesterday's coffee pot. He reluctantly peeled away from Momo and walked over to his father. His movements were stiff, and Ochaco felt sympathy for her friend. She was never a fan of Enji, especially after Shoto had opened up about how terrible the man had been to his family. That hadn't changed when All Might retired and allowed Endeavor to step up to the Number One spot. It had been a real head scratcher for her when Shoto signed up with his father's agency. His animosity was still present, but she could only support her former classmate as he worked to change the agency's image.

"Thank you, father," Shoto answered with poorly concealed disdain, "And thank you all for coming tonight. The Peace and Recovery Foundation has been a staple in the hero community and our society at large for several years now. Despite some of the criticism it has received, it is not - and never will be - just pro heroes cleaning up after themselves. All of us present work hard to ensure that people can live peacefully, even in the face of criminals and villains trying to disrupt their everyday lives. The PRF works to give people who have lost pieces of their lives a second chance. Just as heroes are sworn to protect everyone, the foundation is wholly dedicated to ensuring a swift recovery. Now, let's celebrate our own efforts in that work."

Modest applause followed Shoto's brief speech. Everyone turned back to their tables and waited for their food. When Ochaco had received the RSVP (and was forced to sign it by Mina) she was required to make a choice about what she would prefer to eat. There had not been a large variety but the names made her head swirl. In the end, she chose to eat some pork broth soba. Given how snug her dress fit her, she felt it had been the right choice. At some of the surrounding tables, people were being served huge portions of yakitori or sashimi. She shook her head in disbelief and thanked the waiter who brought out her modest bowl of food.

Ochaco leaned back in her chair and patted her belly with a sigh. She only made it through half of her soba but felt satisfied. Her head swam pleasantly from the drinks, and she was ready to dance with Mina soon. Ashido practically vibrated with excitement as the clatter of silverware died down and a small portion of the dance floor was cordoned off. Roadies clad in black hauled out half stack amplifiers, a large turntable, and several instruments. A few started to fiddle with the tuning heads on the guitars and bass while two worked to meticulously assemble a drum kit. Soon enough, the sound checks were finished up and an energy buzzed throughout the banquet hall.

"I cannot wait to hear Kyoka play!" Mina cried out with a squeal. Ochaco nodded with a smile on her lips. Just as she was about to get up, a waiter came up to their table with a single cocktail placed on the silver plate. The young server gave Uraraka a quick smile and gently handed the drink over to the unsuspecting hero.

"For you miss. Courtesy of your friend," was all she gave before striding away with pace. Ochaco only blanched as she reached out to the server. Mina only gave her a shrug before throwing her napkin on the table.

"What's it you always say? 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth?' Anyway, c'mon, 'Chaco! We gotta get a good spot!" Mina jumped out of her chair and raced away, leaving Ochaco with a very quiet Hikari. Uraraka rubbed her forehead in frustration and eyed the drink suspiciously.

"Who the hell keeps sending me drinks?" she asked with exasperation oozing in her tone. She looked up briefly from the offending cocktail to Hikari. The sidekick was pensive, thoughtfully looking past the railing where Mina had been sitting in front of. Ochaco followed her gaze down to the dance floor, scanning for anything that might have stood out. She didn't make out anyone unusual amongst the masked throng of guests. At the furthest bar that faced towards the dance floor, however, was a lanky gentleman in a rabbit mask. He had unruly, green hair that jutted out where it pleased. Clad in a pinstriped suit, the man wore his tie casually and loosely under his undone collar. Ochaco caught his gaze from where she was sitting and he quickly turned back to speak with the bartender. Hikari's soft voice came out from her flank, a hard edge cutting through her words.

"Looks like we found who's been trying to get your attention, boss." Ochaco exchanged a look with her sidekick as they got up from their table. With some hesitation, Uraraka picked up the drink as she walked away. Her grip was tight around the glass. Uraraka must have had a forbidding expression because Hikari gave her a funny look. "You ok? Look like you're about to get into a scrap."

"Ha ha, yeah," Ochaco answered as she tried her best to convince Hikari, "But a girl can't be too careful, right? I gotta make sure he's got _pure_ intentions." Hikari laughed as they continued down to the dance floor.

Kyoka and her band walked up to the crowd, riling them up while they took their places. Ochaco looked around for Mina's poofy hair. If she was going to confront someone who could possibly be Deku, she'd need more than Hikari for back up. She found Mina bouncing excitedly next to a tall, familiar man with spiked red hair. Uraraka shook her.

_Well, it looks like it's just me and Hikari now._ Ochaco turned to speak to her sidekick only to find her missing now. Her head swiveled to-and-fro as she frantically searched the area. Her eyes fell on Mina once more and saw that Hikari was trying to talk to her partner. It appeared that the young hero was on the same page as Uraraka. Only, Mina was a force to be reckoned with. Ochaco watched in absolute disbelief as Ashido grabbed Hikari by the wrist and dragged her away to be closer to the band. Uraraka could have sworn that the pink hero shot a cheeky wink her way as she disappeared from view. Now she had to confront Deku alone with nothing but a drink in her hand. She took a moment to compose herself. Rushing into a confrontation never ended well for her.

"Good evening party people! You ready to dance?!" Kyoka's stage voice reverberated throughout the dance hall and was greeted by cheers. The tell tale click of drumsticks queued in Kyoka to cry one once again. "We are Jiroscope and this is 'Crash the Launchpad!' Hit it!" Jiro's bass drove the charge into an edgey, rhythmic song that Uraraka was familiar with. The bodies around her began to jump and sway to the beat. Carefully avoiding the dancing guests, Uraraka weaved her way through the few pockets of people who were content to drink and watch the spectacle. She sneaked up to the bar where he still stood. The man was leaning against the table, watching the crowd as he bobbed his head to the music. Ochaco looked at his face and breathed in relief. It wasn't Deku. The mask only covered the upper portion of the man's face, the ears not as elongated as the villain's. The real deal wouldn't be bold enough to sit in plain sight of dozens of pro heroes, she reasoned.

In the dim light, she could still size him up from where she peeked. Bright, emerald eyes clashed wildly against his pale skin that was splattered with freckles. With how he was positioned, the man's coat opened up and revealed his figure better for Uraraka. He was on the leaner side and about a head taller than herself. Ochaco never considered herself a shallow person, but she couldn't help thinking that this man was just a little plain. Still, he had sent her a few drinks so she might as well see what he had to say. Uraraka composed herself and smoothed out her dress where it had bunched up before sildiling up to the guy.

"So," she opened with a dry voice, "You wanted to see me?"

"Hmm? I'm so- s-sor..." The man sputtered out when he looked at her. His mouth was slightly agape and she could see that his eyes had widened. Uraraka didn't even bother hiding the smirk that pulled at the corners of her mouth. She had carefully placed her arm on the table so that she could rest her chest on it. Apparently, it had the desired effect on the poor unsuspecting fool. He took a moment to clear his throat, standing a little more straight as he calmed down.

"Ah, sorry. Drink went down the wrong pipe," he gave. Uraraka noticed that he was adamantly not breaking eye contact with her.

"I'm sure. So, what did you want with me? You hopin' to chat this country gal up? Or were you looking for... more?" Ochaco arched her back. Her smirk turned into a satisfied grin when she saw this man visibly swallow. She pulled a leaf from Midnight and Mt. Lady's book, lightly tugging at an edge of her dress. The man snapped his head away from her as his face turned beet red. Ochaco couldn't help the belly laugh that burst out of her. She continued leaning against the table to talk to him.

"Alright, stranger. Who are you and whadda ya want?" The man gave her a sideways glance, his lips pulled tightly before he answered her.

"I'll tell you but you have to promise to not try anything funny."

"Ha! Says the dude in a bunny mask. Now, why d'you send me these drinks?"

"Ok ok. First things, first," he said, now facing her fully with a hand extended out to her. She took up the handshake. Uraraka made sure to grip his hand a little harder than needed by was surprised to feel how firmly he held out against her micro attack.

"I'm Izuku. Izuku Midoriya. And you're the rescue hero Uravity, right? Ochaco Uraraka?" She eyed him curiously. His voice sounded so damn familiar, honeyed and warm enough to lull her into a sense of safety. Uraraka hadn't really looked at his eyes, but now that she had relaxed a bit, she had to catch herself from submerging into their depths. There was a flutter of something old in her chest. It was an abandoned, forgotten feeling but she almost welcomed it as she answered.

"Oh, a fanboy, huh? Well, I'm flattered. Don't think I've heard of you in the hero circuit, Midoriya. Where do you work?" Izuku hummed pleasantly and the sound melted her knees. She stood up to steady herself.

"Oh well, I'm not a pro. I work as a freelancer for a couple of clients. I promise I'm not a paparazzi." Ochaco bit back a frown when he didn't expand. Well if he wanted to play it that way, he'd learn to regret it. She pointed at his face, wiggling her finger as she appraised his mask.

"So what's with the Deku mask? Didn't really think that one through did ya?"

"Ha! No, I didn't. To be honest - and it's really kind of embarrassing - but when I heard we were supposed to wear masks to this thing, I thought it was more like a Halloween kind of thing."

Ochaco burst out laughing. Izuku joined in, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. She gestured to his clothes as she breathed into her response.

"So that explains all of..."

"Yeah," he answered, smiling again, "But hey it's not a bad look. Gotta give credit where credit's due, right?"

There was a change of pace in the music that flitted through the air. The drums became less aggressive and the guitars lost their hard edged distortion. Kyoka belted out soft, cooling notes to match the mood. Izuku's ears perked up. The crowd thinned out a little as more people left to refresh their drinks or catch a breath. Midoriya held a hand out to her. She met his still grinning face with a bit of confusion.

"I love this song. It's great to dance to. So what do you say?"

"Alright, Midoriya. Let's see what you got."

Ochaco giggled as he led her to the polished floor. They framed up and bounced in place to start their count. Uraraka giggled again when she noticed Izuku counting under his breath. She felt his weight push her back and they began to move.

In her last year at U.A., Ochaco listened to her classmates talk about the formal events that they'd be required to attend to as heroes. Momo had mentioned that some of those gatherings included dances. It was agreed that Class 3-A would take up extra lessons to prepare for situations like the one she was currently in. They spent the better half of three months learning a variety of well known and versatile ballroom dances. Surprising her and the rest of the class, Bakugo volunteered to be her partner. She found that she picked up the art form quickly under his wing. That was the spark that ignited something very deep and passionate between them. As she looked into Izuku's brilliant, smiling eyes, Ochaco felt a stab of remorse as she mulled over the dances she had shared with Katsuki.

_One, Two, three-and... One, Two, three-and..._

Their movements were steady, but Ochaco soon found that her experience was more than enough to match Midoriya's. She was surprised that he was such a confident dancer, but it was nice that she didn't have to worry about correcting her partner. He guided her effortlessly around the floor, twirling her when appropriate, turning when he could. The song ended and was replaced by a cover. One with a slightly faster pace but still offering them the chance to continue waltzing. Izkuk began to grin as they moved around the floor.

"Say, you're really light on your feet, Ms. Uravity. You're not using your quirk on yourself, are you?"

She didn't know if it was the drinks in her or how genuinely he asked, but Ochaco could only laugh heartily as they swayed happily. He caught her after another spin and smiled brightly. Her breath hitched in her chest.

"That was so corny but I let you know a secret: I loved it."

Izuku looked a little smug now and Ochaco let him. They continued dancing at length, taking breaks only to catch their breath or get some water. Izuku promised her to return quickly with some water, leaving her near the staircase. Mina came bounding out of her peripheral. Her partner ensnared her in a tight hug and squealed with delight.

"Ocha babe! Look at you! Getting all flirty with some guy! Is he cute? He sure as hell can dance!"

"Hahaha, yeah, he's got some moves. He's cute in a boy-next-door sort of way. I don't know him though. Have you heard of Izuku Midoriya?" Mina shook her head without hesitation.

"Nope! Doesn't ring a bell. Sorry, girl. But do you think you'll take him home tonight?"

Ochaco felt her face burst into flames as Mina winked at her. The pink hero laughed a smidge too loud and leaned on Uraraka a little more. It was time to turn the tables on her partner. If only to get rid of her before Izuku showed up.

"So, where's Kirishima? How's it been with him tonight?"

"Oh! It's been great! He's a little distracted because he's worried about Bak- I, uh, mean someone but yeah it's been so good." Ochaco gave her friend a twisted smile that pursed her lips. She pulled Mina off of herself and set her to stand on her own.

"I'm ok, Mina. Promise. I'm over it. I think I might take a shot at something with Midoriya though. He _is_ kinda cute." The girls shared a laugh. Mina parted from her shortly after that, bounding away as quickly as she arrived. Ochaco felt movement behind her and turned to see Izuku standing there a little gobsmacked in the face. She quirked an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Erm, hey," he stammered with his face burning fiercely, "W-was that your partner, Pinky?" Ochaco smirked. From the angle he came up to her, she gathered he had gotten an eyeful of her dress. She took the glass of water from him with a small nod of thanks. Uraraka scrutinized the liquid. "You know, drugging you would be a stupid idea in front of all these heroes right?"

"Yeah, but a girl's still gotta be cautious you know. Tall, dark, and handsome strangers getting you water is a good way to get hurt."

Izuku rolled his eyes but conceded, the argument. They drank quietly as Kyoka and her band started up another number. This one was slow and melodic, causing Ochaco to sway at the hips. She let out a squeak of surprise when her hip bumped into Midiorya's. He gave her another blinding smile and set his empty glass down on the floor. Izuku looked a little hopeful as he extended his hand out once more.

"You're great to dance with. I'd like another couple of rounds if you wouldn't mind."

"Oh, you know, that sounds really lovely, but you gotta do me a favor first." Izuku's hand faltered as he looked quizzically at her. "You gotta ditch the mask."

Midoriya's grin expanded even wider than she could have imagined. In a single, smooth motion, Izuku removed the mask from his face and dropped it. He took her glass from her so that she could do the same. She breathed in a bit of relief as her face was freed. A waiter came by and took their discarded items away.

"Better?" he asked, offering his hand again. She took in his boyish looks, the slight roundness in the chin that was offset by pinched cheeks. His unruly hair was truly wild as it cascaded over his ears and forehead. Uraraka felt something melt in her as she looked at him in the dim light.

"Better," she affirmed with a nod. He led her out once more to the dance floor and they picked up where they had left off. Ochaco allowed herself a moment of bliss as soon as their feet hit polished hardwood. She gazed into his eyes and saw more of that hope he had earlier. A smile fell on her lips as she lost herself in the movement of their dance. This was specatular. How long had it been since she had felt this rush in her veins, the erratic beating of her heart against her chest? There was something about Midoriya that drew her in. She didn't fight it. She allowed herself to feel the moment wash over her, to be lulled into something she had forgotten how to feel. A sudden boldness took over her. A thought that this could actually be the start of something fun and exciting struck her but just as she was readying herself to speak, Izuku broke the spell with a question.

"Miss Uravity?" he asked timidly. She laughed a bit, slapping his arm playfully.

"Call me Uraraka. I'd _prefer_ Ochaco but you seem like-"

"Alright then, _Ochaco_," he retorted, the sound making her shiver pleasantly, "I have an offer for you. What do you say to another night out? Maybe we go out for a bite to eat and then go somewhere we can just have some fun."

Ochaco was slightly taken aback but happy to see that they were on the same page. She knew her answer the moment he asked but thought she'd have more fun with him. She pulled her head back and looked thoughtfully into space. From the corner of her eye, Uraraka could see that Midoriya looked a little nervous. He kept a cool expression but there was something in his eye that gave him away.

"Well," Uraraka hummed mischievously, "I'd say that sounds really nice. Where were you thinking, Midoriya?" She watched as a playful, boyish smile grew on his freckled mug. It might as well have been his birthday with the glee emanating from him_. _That grin was infectious. A beat of joyful silence followed as she felt her lips mimicking his own.

"Well there is this new mochi shop I keep hearing about in downtown. Let's say I pick you up on Wed-"

He stopped their waltz abruptly. Thankfully, Midoriya's frame was solid enough to prevent her from falling. He looked pale with fury, his eyes burning with a rage that looked out of place on him. Ochaco started to ask him what was wrong when she followed his gaze. A few feet off from where they stood, swayed a couple that looked terribly familiar. He was short and thick all around. Sweat dripped off the ebony strands of hair that flew away from his balding scalp. A gruesome, greedy look glinted in his eyes. Isn't that that politician? Mori?

His partner was lithe and pale. Her face was round and she looked stone faced as he threw her around. She had long, gorgeous black hair that fell like a waterfall from her head. Understanding dawned on Ochaco. Yuang!

She felt her body jerk but was held in place by Izuku. Ochaco turned to him with grit teeth. Her protest fell apart at the look on his face. It was cold, pure hatred. He began to move her again, dancing along with the crowd but only using a basic motion. When he spoke to her, it was a hiss of steamed anger that seeped out through his teeth.

"What is she doing here? Shouldn't she be back in China?"

"Yeah but how..." Ochaco swung her head to look between Midoriya and Yuang. The young woman looked up briefly and her eyes widened in recognition. Ochaco's heart stopped. The blood in her veins froze up and she slowly turned to Izuku. He gave her a small, sad smile as he let go.

"No. No, no, no. This can't be real."

"Ochaco," Deku said as he stepped away, "We can't make a scene. If Yuang's handlers figure out that we know her, we might not be able to get out of their hands. Please, for her sake."

Uraraka felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes. She knew he was right. Even in a room full of heroes, Yuang wasn't safe. The amount of quirks in such close proximity would allow her kidnappers to sneak her away in the commotion. She felt helpless as she turned away from Yuang's wide eyed plea. She closed her eyes and bit back the sour taste in her mouth.

"What do we do, Deku?"

Midoriya didn't answer. She opened her eyes to look, but he was nowhere to be seen. Ochaco fought back a sob and pushed her way through the crowd to the staircase. In a few moments, Ochaco reached her table. Fumbling for the phone in her purse, she took a few pictures of Yuang and Mori. Uraraka continued to watch them twirl around until Kyoka's bass played its last beat.

The band said their farewells and the crowd began to cheer as the banquet hall's lights brightened up. She noticed Mori dragging Yuang away from the crowd. This was her chance to save her! She only had to touch Yuang and they'd be home free. Using her Quirk on herself, Ochaco floated down to the left entrance wing of the hall. A few guests looked up in surprise, applauding her antics. Furiously working to undo the straps around her ankle, Uravity freed her feet and began to sprint towards the exit. With her dress hiked up to allow more movement, the pro burst into the hall that stretched out to a wall with five elevators. Ochaco almost tripped on her way to them and slammed her fists against their closed metal doors. With the awful feeling of failure pooling in her stomach, Uraraka watched as all the cabs announced that they had landed on different floors. She had lost Yuang.


	10. Devil's Deal

Ch. 9 The Devil's Deal

There was a satisfying, sickening crunch under the heel of her palm as she struck a criminal one last time. His nose caved in, and he fell to the ground. She gave herself a beat to make sure he didn't get up before turning with ruthless efficiency to face the other oncoming attackers. Pinky called out from somewhere in the back of the lobby that Ochaco was fighting in.

"Damn, Uravity! You're really showin' those idiots who's boss."

Uraraka only took in her surroundings for a moment. They were inside a modest hotel lobby. It was well lit with nice, open windows that allowed the sun to mingle with the white, electric light from the overhead fluorescents. Before the fight broke out, the lobby was clean to the point of sterility. Standing front and center was the reception desk. Polished wood gleamed on the counter and framed the support beams that framed the desk. On the right was a small lounge area where patrons could relax on some decent couches and matching chairs. To the left was the beginning of a carpeted hallway. Right now, she was taking stock of the men she dropped. One body behind her; another at eleven o' clock; two more at three. Now all she had left were two badly hurt and weary thugs. The closest stood about ten feet away, just off to the left; his friend was further away near the hallway entrance to her right.

A few tears spoiled the look of their black leather jackets and plain white shirts, courtesy of Uravity herself when she had countered a few poorly aimed knife thrusts. They were bruised with small trickles of blood running down their faces. These last two had been hardier than their friends, but that was only going to make taking them down all the sweeter. Uravity wasn't in much better shape than the rest of her victims. Her face was scuffed from blows that just nicked her; blood flowed down from her nose; there were cuts along her arms and thighs, the exposed skin bleeding slightly. A few flesh wounds and bruises weren't going to be enough to stop her, though. She gifted her next victim with a wild smile, her eyes fierce with battle lust. Ochaco took a step forward and dropped her shoulder. The fools took the bait, and she launched herself to the left at an angle. With a quick sweep backward of her right leg, she dropped the nearest goon flat on his back. Uravity popped up and carefully aimed her boot for the man's forehead. She stepped forward, the head under her soles slamming against the tiled floor, and she moved towards the last guy.

He looked scared, like he was about to piss his pants. The knife in his hand shook as he took uncertain steps backwards and away from Uravity. She knew the look in his eyes. _This shithead's about to run for it. Like hell he will! _

Sure enough, the criminal turned heel and tried to sprint away. She didn't take the time to aim her gauntlet. She didn't need to anymore. With the press of a button, a metal coil sprang forward towards the man's ankles. She hit her mark, and she tugged at the wire to bring him down. The knife flew out of his hand and slid a few inches past his head. Before he could frantically try to reach out for it, Uraraka was pinning him down in order to cuff him. As Pinky guided the crowd of civilians outside, she whooped in celebration.

Ochaco's blood pulsed against her temples as she cuffed the others splayed out on the floor. _Sure, they were knocked out but you could never be too careful._ When she was satisfied with her work, Uravity pulled up the only one still awake by his shoulders. With excessive force, she shoved him into one of the flanking pillars of the desk. She held him up against the rough plastered surface by grabbing a fistful of his ragged shirt.

"Alright you, where is she?" she demanded. The criminal could only look at her with one eye open as blood began to pool in his eye. It wouldn't be long before he passed out, and she needed answers.

"Where's who, Gravity Girl? Does it look like we got any chicks with - hurrf!"

"You know damn well who I'm talking about," Uravity venomously spat out. She pulled out a creased up photo from a belt compartment and thrust it into the man's face. "Her name is Yuang. You and your boys are part of the gang that brought here. Now, you tell me where she is or I swear to fucking god!"

"Heh, you wanna swear, little girl? Try this on for size: fuck you. I ain't a snitch."

"No, but you are stupid," she retorted before finally decking him with a solid hit from her elbow. Uravity let go and watched him slump down to the ground. The pro hero was seething. While this operation could have been called a success in the papers, Uravity knew that the sting had gone sideways. The villains had been expecting them. The majority were taken care of by Hikari's Quirk. The six that escaped had been dealt with by herself. That just left the civilians who were being evacuated by Mina. The heroes had planned to do this quietly so as to not attract attention. Unfortunately, the villains had decided to be idiots and start the fight which led to civilians being witness to the savage beatings Uravity so readily handed out like Halloween candy. The lobby was a mess now. Broken chairs and torn pamphlets littered the hallway entrance where most of the fighting took place. She dusted herself off and called out to her team through her earpiece.

"Roll call, team. Uravity - front lobby."

"Pinky in the parking lot!"

"Stoplight. Still on the second floor, East wing. Just have two more goons to cuff."

Uravity breathed out in relief. She knew Hikari was strong, but she always worried about the sidekick whenever they went out. Her agency normally focuses more on rescues and disaster control, but that had changed after the charity gala. Ochaco was on a warpath and would not be satisfied until she found Yuang.

It had been painstaking work to procure a search warrant from the Four-Nine-One. If it hadn't been for Shoto's intervention, Ochaco was convinced that they might have missed another lead. As it was, Hosori had denied her initial request to search the hotel where the Gala had been held. There wasn't time to dwell on the captain's decision, strange and misplaced as it was. Uravity cast her frustration aside and continued searching for Yuang with little to go on. She reluctantly turned to the case file that Deku delivered. Uraraka found that the shipment invoices were irregularly formatted with consistent oddities. Instead of the normal working shifts, the deliveries were at strange times. One at noon, another at three in the morning… the times didn't make sense. There were also multiple deliveries to the same location on _the same day._ That wasn't unheard of, but something about the deliveries threw up a red flag for Ochaco. The product delivered -and picked up- was always seven. There was no way that delivery trucks would be consistently balancing the shipments to always leave seven items at the warehouse. Looking closer at the delivery locations, Ochaco noticed the locations also went against standard shipping codes.

_M8-37, SAL... H200-MSt... OS87 -SSE, ANE..._ There were only about twelve delivery spots in total recorded. A pattern emerged soon enough, however. A new shipment would arrive once every three months for a select few drop offs. The product looked as if they were being rotated. That had puzzled her until she looked at a picture of Yuang. It had clicked.

_The deliveries were people. The locations were hotels._

It would be another couple of weeks before the next delivery was scheduled, according to the pattern she had unearthed, but Uravity was impatient. More than a week had passed since she had seen Yuang. The longer they waited, the more danger the woman was in.

"Pinky, when did the police say they would arrive again?" she asked, biting her lip as she stared at the electric double doors.

"They were about five minutes away last time we checked in. I think - wait! Hold on, they're here!" Sure enough, the sound of wailing sirens accompanied by flashing emergency lights greeted through the windows. A squad of five officers piled into the lobby and balked at the sight before them. Uravity wiped the blood off her upper lip and strutted up to the dumbstruck cops. She recognized one of them from her visit right out of the hospital. They had pale blue eyes and matching hair that swept in front of their face in sharp, angled bangs. Uravity looked right at them.

"Do you know if Hosori is coming? I need to talk to her."

"Um, she's on her way Ms. Uravity," the officer said with a waver in their even voice. Ochaco nodded and allowed the rest of the group to move on. She stopped the blue haired officer with a simple hand on her shoulder. They looked at her with a cocked eyebrow, a silent question hanging in the air between the two.

"What's your name again?" Uravity casually asked. It was a simple inquiry that she offered with a sincere smile. It lost its effect as it was surrounded by the hero's roughed up exterior.

"I'm Officer Yonezu. They/them if you please," they answered. Uravity nodded. She led them towards the hallway where Hikari now stood, triumphant in her outrageous costume made of almost exclusively traffic lights. Yonezu's face pulled down the corners of their lips and scrunched up thier nose. Hikari's suit was truly something to behold if you could stomach it.

"Hey boss!" Stoplight called out with a jaunty wave, "All wrapped up over here. Now what?"

"Glad you asked, Stoplight. I was just asking Officer Yonezu about Captain Hosori's ETA. She didn't ride with any of y'all? No? Hrm. That's weird right?" Uravity asked Hikari. The sidekick paled at the look in Ochaco's eyes.

"Heh, yeah, weird… Hey, boss? Could I have a word real quick?"

"Oh sure, but right after I find out who squealed. We got jumped before everyone was in position. No way those idiots knew what was happening without a leak!" Uravity shouted. Her arms shook in Hikari's hands as her sidekick held her back. Yonezu looked Uravity evenly and crossed their arms.

"What are you trying to say, Uravity?" they asked. There was venom in those words that threatened to dissolve any shred of Rainy Day's credentials with the police. Luckily, an intervention came in the form of Captain Hosori herself.

"Fall in! Front Lobby!" The call had come through the radios placed on the officers' chest. One by one, they filed in line and stood at attention. Hosori stiffly marched into the lobby with Pinky in tow. Mina was slightly hunched as she followed in the captain's commanding shadow. Hosori herself looked even more severe than before. The edges of her uniform and badges were sharper than last Uravity had seen. Her dark eyes were creased into a squint, the wrinkles folding around the soft tissue. Her mouth was pulled down in something akin to a sneer.

"Hosori!" Uravity greeted with a falsetto cheer, "So good of you to _finally_ show up! While you and your kids took your sweet time getting here, we got attacked!"

"Is that so? Very well. Officers! Round up the criminals. I need to have a word with the heroes regarding the next steps." They saluted and went about calling in ambulances for the six men Uravity took out. Yonezu shot her a challenging glare before tending to the man Ochaco had interrogated.

Hosori led the three heroes to the lounge area. She scrutinized them for a moment. It took all of Uravity's self control to not burst into a triade. Ashido and Nomura grabbed the anti-gravity user's hands, squeezing them to assure her. It worked for the moment.

"I know I have been... unavailable for your little investigation, but to go as far as to compromise this operation? All because of your reckless -"

"Lemme just stop you right there, Hosori," Uravity interrupted, pointing a shaking finger at the captain, "We did _everything_ right. We showed; we called; we filed the right paperwork and where did that get us? Unavailable, my ass! I want answers! What the hell happened that you let Yuang slip back into those bastards' hands?"

Hosori took a moment to close her eyes and breathe. Uravity knew it was the adrenaline talking, but right now, it felt right to embrace it. Yuang's desperate eyes flashed across her vision. She felt tears sting at the corners of her eyes but refused to shed them. What right did she have to grieve when she had a warm, safe home to return to at the end of the day? Uravity wouldn't give the villains, Hosori, or Deku the satisfaction of seeing her break.

"I see someone picked up some bad habits from their ex," was all Hosori gave. Ashido and Nomura gasped. They turned to look at Uravity who only smiled sweetly at Hosori. The captain turned her nose up and walked away. "I have the warrant in hand. Go search for anything or anyone that looks like the _alleged_ trafficking."

"Sure thing. We'll be sure not to let anyone slip out of our hands," Ochaco shot back. The girls took turns hugging Uravity and checked up on her. She did her best to fend off their fussing, reassuring them over and over that she was fine. When they were satisfied, they split up to search their assigned floors.

The Four-Nine-One swept the first three floors in pairs. That left the remaining three to the heroes. Uraraka had called dibs on the top floor earlier, so she took off to the stairs. Mina called out to her friend as she reached the stairwell entrance.

"Be careful, girl!" Uravity gave her a thumbs up and took off.

The stairs were plain. Concrete walls squeezed the staircase into a tight wrap that did not allow quick access to the top landing. Uravity took away her own gravity and leapt up to run along the wall.

Uravity knew she was already running on fumes. She felt it in the way her muscles burned, in the way she breathed, in the blurry edges of her vision. Her stomach was immediately relieved when she released her Quirk's hold. Uraraka took a moment to gather herself, propping her hands on her knees as she keeled over. Yuang flashed across her mind, once again. Uravity growled and threw open the door to the sixth floor. More bland, throwaway carpet greeted her. The walls had a textured pattern on them, as if they were folded paper that had been bunched up together. Flanking each door frame were plain sconces that emitted light upward. The hall stretched out with about twelve rooms on her left and eleven on the right. She called out to her team through her earpiece.

"Uravity on the sixth floor. Startin' search. Holler if you find something."

She was about to knock on the closest door when she heard a high pitched yelp come from out in the distance. Uravity began sprinting towards the source of the commotion, turning around the corner. Uravity sprinted with all her might as she heard the gruff sounds of fighting mingled with the yelling. Dread flooded her limbs as she reached the corner to the West wing. _Please don't be here. Anyone but you._

Deku stood in between three very large bruisers. He wore a full mask now. The ears protruded over his wild green hair. She could see in the clearer light that his mask was a solid green with white eyes outlined in black. The mask conformed to the curve of his face where his nose jutted out. The lower half of his mask had a strange mouth guard that made it look like he was grinning. He was in a large trench coat, with a pristine white button up and vest underneath with a red silk tie that hung loosely under his collar.

The burly men surrounding him looked as if they were only made of muscles. Their matching black shirts were stretched tightly over their chest arms. They towered over Deku who was fairly tall himself. Uravity shot Midoriya a nasty look, but stopped when she saw a petite hand outstretched through the nearest door. Without hesitation, Ochaco leapt into the fray.

She threw her first shot at Deku himself, but he nimbly redirected it towards the bruiser on his left. He pirouetted and kicked at the other that closed up the rear. To her surprise, they both disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. The remaining crook began to chuckle, his laugh graveled and corse. He cracked his knuckles with a wicked grin splitting his face.

"So, you figured it out, did ya? Eh, brawling ain't no fun if I can't break your face." Ochaco looked to Deku in confusion. He only shrugged.

"I'll explain later. First we've got to get that girl out of there," he whispered to Uravity. He surprised her once more, charging forward with a warcry. "I've got him! Get her!"

For some one so lithe and agile, Deku was one hell of a slugger. He feinted his way into the criminal's blindspot, jumped up into the air with a spin, and threw out a kick into the beefy chest of the crook. The man staggered back several feet, giving Uravity the opening she needed. Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped up to plant her feet against the wall and activated the boosters in her boots. As she was crossing the threshold into the room, she watched Deku slide on his knees underneath her. He leaned backwards, and she swore he winked at her with his shutter lensed eyes. Uravity twisted in midair, avoiding the ceiling and door frames. She used her boosters to slow down and she landed square in the middle of the room.

A woman lay along the wall passed out. She quickly assessed the rest of the room as Deku struggled against the bruiser. The black out curtains were drawn but clumsily so. Shafts of daylight sliced into the room, painting the nearest wall with spots of golden yellow. There were two beds that made up the majority of the room. Their duvets and sheets lay on the mattresses in shreds, bits of cotton still flying in the air. Huddled against the walls and in between the beds were at least five other women. They were in various stages of undress - one being completely nude. Bruises covered their faces and neck. Some were bleeding. Uravity assured them they were safe just as Deku cried out in pain.

"Deku! What's going on out there?" The villain rolled back into view and gave her a shaky thumbs up.

"I've got this! Everything's going according to - ack!" The bruiser had picked him up by the scruff of his collar, and threw a gut shattering punch to his stomach which shut him up. Uravity rolled her eyes and charged the distracted villains. With her hands out in front of her, Uraraka took the man's gravity away and shoved him into the opposing wall. He let out a grunt, floating up to the ceiling. His eyes widened in shock as he tried to retaliate. Ochaco used her boosters once more to drive her gauntlets into his head. They crashed into the plaster above and she released her hold. He didn't scream or flail as he fell, landing heavily with a mighty crash. Uravity made sure not to smash his head when he landed.

"You got it from here, Ms. Hero?" Deku called out. Ochaco watched as he was sprinting towards the fire escape that led to the roof. He was waving his mask in hand and gave her a cheeky grin. "I still owe you that date!"

"Get back here you mother -!"

"Uravity? You ok over there?" Mina called out. Ochaco twisted around to look at the corner in fear. Thankfully, Ashido and the police hadn't arrived yet but she could hear several pairs of feet stomping their way towards her. She looked behind her and sure enough, Deku was gone. Great.

Ochaco called out to her partner. She sounded tired. Her limbs were laden with a heavy exhaustion that had nothing to do with taking down several villains on her own. With a final look in Deku's wake, Uravity got busy checking on the civilians in the hotel room.

"Pinky, I need a medic over here! Bring some cancel cuffs too!"

She knelt next to the unconscious woman and took her pulse. _Still alive_. Uraraka lightly brushed the hair out of the woman's face. The skin was waxy, sunken, with puckered bruises scattered across her forehead and cheeks. Uravity balled her hand into a fist. _These poor women... _

It was a few moments before the cavalry arrived. Mina hopped on the back of Uraraka's latest victim, her legs straddling him like a horse wrangler. Pinky gave her a hearty wink before slapping on a pair of reinforced Quirk cancelers on his wrists. A few EMT's filed in behind Ashido and got to work on aiding the women before Uravity. The sting was over. Now all that was left was to let the cops do their jobs and file their reports. She looked at the officers hovering around the victims while the medics blocked them from trying to ask questions. The cops looked agitated, their hands resting on their guns. Uravity walked up and placed herself in between them.

"There a problem, officers?" she asked with an even look. They backed away, grumbling that they were only doing their job. Uraraka bit back on her retort and turned her attention to medics. "How're they lookin'?"

"Well," a medic with coal eyes and ash gray skin gave with a heavy sigh, "They're not great. Definite signs of drug abuse and malnourishment. Gonna take a couple of weeks for them to get back on their feet."

"Right. Thanks," Uraraka said. Her shoulders slumped in dejection. She had gotten a closer look at the other girls, but none of them were Yuang. Ochaco walked out into the hallway and sat down against the nearest wall. While she was happy to have rescued them, she still felt guilt twist at her insides. She needed to find Yuang.

She watched as they were all taken away by the EMTs despite some protest from a few officers.

Surprisingly, Yonezu hushed their peers.

"They need to be treated. We can talk to them after they've gotten better. In the meantime, we'll be monitoring them at the hospital. Make sure no one tries to sneak them away. Any questions? Good."

The others gave her a salute and started cordoning off the hallway to begin their investigation. Yonezu walked up to Ochaco. The two exchanged a heated look before the enby officer sat next to her. They leaned their head against the wall, breathing in deeply for a moment. Uraraka was on guard but said nothing.

"So, there's a leak in the Four-Nine-One," Yonezu whispered. Uravity twisted to look at the young cop so fast she cricked her own neck. "These guys knew we were coming. More moons and less vics than we thought'd be here."

"Really? Y'all thought it would be different?" Ochaco asked a little loudly. Yonezu hushed the pro hero with a biting hiss.

"There's a goddamn mole, remember?"

"Right...sorry," Ochaco apologized in a whisper to match the officer. Yonezu rolled their eyes and expanded on what they started saying.

"This should've been a simple operation. Your instincts are right; the fact that it went this wrong means something's up"

"But what happened with Yuang?" Uraraka pressed, an urgency cracking through her voice, "She was gonna go back home. Least, that's what Hosori told me."

"I don't know. The captain said she was going to personally oversee it. Maybe something happened with Customs. I can do some digging and get you a contact," they promised. Uravity fought the urge to hug the cop. This was the kind of law enforcement support she heard about from other heroes. Yonezu didn't know it, but they had made a friend for life that day.

"Thanks. You don't know how much that means to me," Uraraka offered. Yonezu gave her a deadpanned look and rolled their eyes.

"Don't think this makes us friends. You did accuse me of being the leak," they said. Ochaco grinned at Yonezu who remained impassive. Mina came up to them giggling. She helped them both off the floor and dusted her hands. Yonezu thanked them both and gave Uravity a final warning.

"You may want to clear the air with the captain. She's only suspicious of you because of what the tabloids keep saying." They turned and assisted a few of their peers in hauling the still knocked-out bruiser away from the scene. Uravity was puzzled. What did Yonezu mean by the tabloids? Naturally, she asked the biggest gossip she knew and felt her stomach drop when Ashido gave her a sad smile.

"Aww, 'Chaco, it's not so bad. The papers - well, you know how the like to exaggerate things and -"

"Mina, just cut to the chase. What are they saying?" Uraraka huffed when her partner remained silent and pulled out her phone. She pulled a face as she typed her own hero name in the search bar. Something about looking up articles about yourself just felt so gauche. Uraraka didn't have to scroll much until she found a headline that almost made her drop the phone.

_HOW URAVITY GOT HER GROOVE BACK: PRO HERO SEEN DANCING WITH MYSTERY MAN, RUMORS OF ROMANCE SPARKED_

Accompanying the headline was a picture of herself dancing with Deku. They both still had their mask on, but there was a clear focus on her dreamy smile as she looked up to the villain. Similarly, there was a wide grin on Deku's face. She read a few lines of the article which turned out to be innocent enough. The reporter didn't seem to have a clue as to Midoriya's identity. Most of it was just speculative nonsense about how she was getting over her last public relationship. She breezed through a few more publications that touched on the subject. It was more or less the same: Uravity has a new flame, don't know who it is. Uraraka felt numb with panic but a single thought broke through the haze. _Why is Hosori suspicious? Does she know who Deku is or what he looks like?_

She tried calmed down ki as more questions burst into her mind Things weren't adding up. Every attempt to get a warrant or speak to Hosori concerned Yuang's whereabouts. There was no reason to suspect her of being in cahoots with Deku. Maybe she had heard about his mask? Ochaco had to confront the captain about this. No way was a little misunderstanding going to get in the way of finding Yuang.

_What if Hosori's the one working with Deku?_

The thought stopped her cold. She shared a look with Mina. Uraraka tried to speak but could only croak when she opened her mouth. Ashido rushed to her side, shaking her out of the stupor that had her clammed up.

"Ochaco, what's going on? You look like you just saw a ghost." Uraraka shook her head and tried to put on a winning smile but it did little to convince Mina. "I heard someone talking to you. Was... was _he_ here?"

"Not now, Mina. Later." Uraraka rushed off, leaving her partner to stare after with a frown.

Ochaco didn't have to look long for Hosori. Standing just outside the hotel's doors, the captain of the Four-Nine-One was surrounded by journalists with microphones or phones in hand. There were only a handful of them missing a "Press" lanyard or badge. Those individuals were using their phones. Uravity had walked straight into the makeshift news conference. She tried to make herself as inconspicuous as a battered pro hero could and tiptoed to Hosori's flank.

"-again, these are unrelated to the string of attacks on alleged traffickers. The Hosu PD, along with the aid of the Rainy Day Hero Agency, apprehended more than a dozen individuals who are suspected to be involved in a larger human trafficking ring. They will be questioned and then indicted for their crimes. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to see where we are with our investigation of the scene."

The throng of reports erupted into questions as Hosori turned heel. Ochaco watched the captain shoot her a sterilizing look from the corner of her eye. Before she could address Hosori, the journalists turned their attention on herself. Ochaco was no slouch when it came to the press but she wasn't usually bleeding.

"Uravity! Can you tell us a little about today's raid?"

"Who was that man you danced with at the Endeavor gala?"

"Are you in a new relationship? Are you seeing _multiple_ people?"

"How's your ex feel about you moving on?"

Ochaco shook with fury. She seethed for a minute and the crowd backed away. These people didn't have a clue how the world worked and likely didn't care. They only wanted to pry and take a look into a world that she wanted to keep private.

"Are you serious right now? There were about five women we rescued. Five! They've faced abuse after abuse, have been used up by innumerous men and all you want to talk about is who I danced with? This is an actual problem in our city and I don't appreciate you taking it so lightly."

Ochaco stormed off, breaking the group up as she marched right through the middle of them. Despite her exhaustion, she took away her own gravity and raced off into the sky with the help of her boosters. In a matter of seconds, Uravity was only a distant shadow to the onlooking reporters.

* * *

Uraraka dragged her feet as she stepped into the lobby of her apartment building. The world outside was dark, little dots of light from the lamp post staring out at her like burning glares. It was empty inside the lobby. She had gotten used to walking in at odd times of the day. Uraraka looked around the area, her face drawn and lengthened. The elevator dinged when it arrived and she filed inside the cab with a sigh.

Her days at the agency seemed to be getting longer. After writing her reports for Hosori, Ochaco had gotten an earful from Mina when she confessed about Deku being at the raid. Her exact words were that Ochaco was, "flirting with disaster." She shook her head. As if! There was a strange, painful sensation in her chest when she remembered his face. He looked haggard, bruised but still as gleeful as the night of the gala. Uraraka's face twisted in a sour pout as she reflected on the sensation. _Maybe I'm just torn about letting him get away again. Or maybe I ate something really spicy at lunch._

The elevator reached her floor, and she flopped out of the cab. Her steps became heavier as she approached her apartment. She was so close to home, and the thought of sleep pushed out any other concerns from her mind. Smiling a little, Uraraka fiddled with her purse and stopped when she saw what was standing at her doorstep.

An ornate vase filled with gorgeous sunflowers. The corn yellow petals blossomed around the florets that spiraled elegantly towards the center. Their leaf green stems dived into the vase, standing in a small puddle of water. Wrapped around the neck of the vase was a forest green, silk bow. The surprise would have been perfect had it not been for the black card that hung on the knot of the bow. It was a sleek, glossy business card with _his_ logo embossed in the middle. Uraraka was too worn down to feel afraid or angry as she looked at that stupid, smiling rabbit. She picked up the vase and pulled the card off. Turning it over, she could almost see that smug bastard's smirk he must have had when he scribbled the message on the back.

_Missed you. Thought it was nice seeing you today. I'm on the roof if you want to talk -I_

"Deku, you fuck," she breathed. Uraraka walked into her home, slamming the vase down on her countertop after hanging up her purse and taking her flats off. She dug around the cabinets for a few moments. Ochaco emerged with a pair of worn, battered batons she had used in the earlier days of her career. The tips were fixed with two metal prongs. She pushed up a button and electric bolts sizzled at the tops of each weapon. Satisfied that they were still in working order, Ochaco pulled her hand through their handle straps and let them hang on her left wrist. She locked her apartment and walked towards the service elevator.

Uraraka stared at the grated doors as the rickety old cab lifted her to the roof. The wheels grinding against the rusted wire cables screamed in protest. Despite the awful noise above her, Ochaco continued to gaze at the bared wood frames and concrete blocks that passed by slowly. Her eyes were dull as she leaned against the cab wall. She fought hard to keep her alertness up, but her mind started to feel fuzzy. _I just don't have the energy for this shit. Please just don't let him be there. _

The elevator screeched to a halt. Laid out before her was a small room made of concrete. Shelves filled with cleaning products lined the walls and a set of steps at the end of the room that led to an angled pair of doors. She scanned the area with uninterested eyes, breathing heavily to stave off her weariness. When she reached the doors, Ochaco stopped in her tracks. Her hand hovered near the handles and retracted for a moment. Trepidation filled her but she knew herself better than this. No matter how tired she felt, no matter how much she really didn't want to see this jerk, Ochaco was sworn to bring criminals to justice. A small part of her wondered, though. Maybe she did want to see him again. If so, it could have been for her own self respect. She needed to confront him for toying with her. Ochaco was pulled back into the dance they shared. How he smelled, the feel of his muscular arms under her hands, the way his smile seemed to reassure her. It burned to think about it, and she pushed through the doors.

Both batons were in hand when she stepped out to the gravelled roof. The chunky rocks made her steps a little awkward. Her head swiveled to look both ways as she readied herself. There was no sign of life. Only a breeze to accompany her amongst the night sky line that glittered with the evening lights. A warm voice that both melted her knees and filled her limbs with dread called out from behind.

"Hey, Ms. Hero. Hope I'm not keeping you up."

She took her time facing him. He was standing a ways off from the access doors, dressed in his signature coat and suit. There was no mask to hide behind. In the dark gloom, Ochaco could see his heavily shadowed face. Something burned in his eyes as they stared at each other. She couldn't pin what was behind those emerald irises, but she knew it wasn't malicious. He raised his hands, leveled at the top of his head.

"I'm not armed, Uravity. Just want to talk." His voice lost its warmth. In its absence, a despair she was quite familiar with was present. Uraraka relaxed her shoulders but kept her stance wide. She didn't budge, opting to keep their distance in case he tried anything.

"What do you want, Deku?"

"Like I said: I just wanna talk. Are you ok? You look dead on your feet?" Ochaco let out a bark of laughter.

"You really think you're gonna win me over after the stunt you pulled at that ball? Don't act like you actually care, Deku. Just get to goddamn point." Izuku was stunned into silence. His arms lowered, and she could see him feint a look of hurt. She growled in frustration. "You don't get to act hurt! Don't you dare try to pull that on me!"

"I'm not trying to pull anything, Uravity. I-I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I really am. I didn't mean to drag you into this mess. I thought it was over. That's why... that's why I danced with you. Thought we were in the clear. Then we saw Yuang."

"Yeah, about her," Uraraka hissed as she took a step towards him, baton raised at him threateningly, "Why're you involved with her? You tryin' to be her pimp now?"

"Ha! As if! I'm trying to get her out of that, thank you very much," Izuku spat out. His hands were back at his sides, balled up into fists as he scowled at her. "I thought when I left her with you that she was in good hands. Sorry if I overestimated your ability, Ms. _Hero_."

Uraraka lunged at him. She bellowed as her muscles protested against the sudden exertion. Deku stepped back, tossing the length of his coat towards her extended arms. The cloth wrapped and twisted, binding her hands together. Undeterred, Ochaco continued rushing forward. She was in front of him in moments and drove her left knee into his groin. He cried out in pain, keeling over. Unfortunately, his coat was still clinging to his shoulders and her arms. They fell together into a heap. Uraraka grunted as the sharp edges of gravel punctured her exposed skin. She squirmed and tugged at her arms, finally pulling free. The two rolled away from each other and got ready to strike once more. Except that they didn't. Deku fell to his knees and buried his face into his hands. Uraraka watched in confusion as his body wracked and shuddered. He howled painfully into the night sky, pulling tufts of curly hair when he leaned back to scream. Izuku lowered himself to all fours and spoke through his thickened voice.

"I'm sorry, Uraraka. I really am. I just want to make this right."

"Yeah? And what happens when she's 'free'? Are you gonna just let her go?"

"It's not like that! You saw the look in her eyes! Do you know what happens to people like her? You're a rescue hero for crying out loud. You can't tell me that she's being taken care of." He had her there. Yuang had looked dead inside before she saw them nearby. Desperation had filled the void in her eyes. Uraraka would never forget that look. The hero turned her head away in disgust, eyes clenched shut in shame.

"Don't lecture me about being a hero, asshole. You're the one running around traffickers and drug dealers. I still don't get what you get out of this. You got some kind of guilt complex?"

"Something like that," he gave with a mirthless laugh, "Look. I want to make a deal. You're the one hero who knows this case best, and the only one I'd trust. I help you find her - and not just find her mind you; we get her back home - and I... I turn myself in."

Ochaco gave him an even look. It was a bluff. A bad one at that. Only she wasn't any closer to find Yuang. Maybe having an insider with the Underworld was the key to wrapping this case up. She was tempted, but it sounded too good to be true.

"How can I trust you? How can you trust _me_?"

"We have to," he answered. Izuku sat back up, resting on his haunches. His face was tear stained with a steady stream continuing to fall from his eyes. "I know you could take me to the police right now. You're a strong hero, it'd be easy. I could turn on you at any moment, but we need to work together to find her. I have to clear my ledger if I can. I can't have this hanging over my head. I'd imagine this is hitting you just as hard." Ochaco sighed. There was something in his eyes, despite the crocodile tears, that told her Deku was being genuine. She hung her batons up on her left hand and strode over to where he was sitting. Midoriya flinched when she thrust out her free hand towards him. Ochaco lifted an eyebrow, waiting for him to take the offer. She helped him up and they gripped each other's hand in agreement, her pinky pulled away to prevent an accidental floating situation.

"It's a deal, Midoriya. Just fair warning, you try anything funny, and the cops won't find enough of ya to arrest. Got it?" Izuku swallowed but held her gaze.

"You got a deal, Uraraka," he said. He looked down to her hand and noticed the pinky pointing out. "Ah, so that's how you shake hands. It's cute."

"That's the kind of shit, I'm talking about Deku. No more flirting."

"Oh but c'mon, Uravity," he shot back with a sly shrug and grin, "How could I resist flirting with such a beautiful and amazing hero like yourself?"


	11. Moth to a Flame

Ch. 10 Moth to a Flame

Ochaco chewed her food bitterly as she peered through the binoculars in her hand. Sitting nearby, happily munching away out of his bento box, was Deku. A smug, jaunty smile popped on his lips while he ate. They were in costume, parked on the edge of the roof with masks off and feet dangling freely below them.

Uravity pointed her binoculars at the little warehouse across the street. She huffed in frustration, which caught Midoriya's attention.

"Something wrong, starchild?" She hated that. She hated his little nicknames, the way he spoke to her as if they were ordinary friends out on the town, how his voice sent warm shivers running down her spine. Ochaco shot Deku with a glare. They sat in silence as she stewed in her own thoughts.

Ochaco looked up to the night sky. They were a little outside of city limits, where trees and highways began to overtake the cluster of skyscrapers. Light pollution still obscured her view of the twinkling galaxy that always comforted her.

_Not another failure… Please let her be here this time._

It had been a little over a month since their deal had been struck, and this was their third stakeout together. Their first outing had been a massive success. The two had pre-planned their approach to the next predicted "shipment" of girls to the hotel. Deku agreed to be the lookout, giving Uraraka her cue to jump in while she led a small team to clean up. Thankfully, it had gone off without a hitch. Mina, Hikari, and a small squad of police officers led by Yonezu were perfect teammates. Uraraka remembered the faces of everyone Mina and Hiraki helped to rescue. Each face may have been marked with endless fear, but the reassuring looks that Mina and Hiraki gave were enough to turn them around. Ochaco had been part of the lead strike force. She sulked around corridors and hid in shadows, waiting for unsuspecting victims to pounce on. Yonezu took their strike team close behind. It would have been a total victory in her books but there was one annoying bug in her ear the whole time.

"Starchild?" Deku asked once more, pulling her out of her reverie.

She bared her teeth at him, but didn't respond. With the awkward silence that ensues, Deku tried speaking with her again with knit brows of concern. Brows knit in concern, Deku tried speaking with her again.

"You okay? I was just saying I think this might be another bust."

While their first outing had yielded success, the following ones were very much the same as tonight: sitting in a tense, awkward silence while they watched in hope that they'd catch some activity. Uraraka wasn't ready to give up, though. She checked the time on her phone, pocketing it back in its own belt compartment.

"Maybe. I wanna keep watchin' for another hour, though. You headed out?" Deku shook his head, the shaggy curls on top sweeping through the air.

"No, if you're gonna stay, then I should stick around. Besides, I like keeping you company!" Deku looked at Ochako straight in the eye and perked up with an unstoppable grin. Ochako rolled her and handed him the binoculars so that she could eat the rest of dinner properly. She shuffled in place as best as she could, turning her back partly to Deku. That damned smile of his always found a way to warm her up. Sometimes it haunted her dreams. Ochaco shook the thought off and began chewing her food.

Deku sighed ruefully. "You're really not gonna talk to me, Princess?" Ochaco started to choke. Those damn nicknames again! There was also that wounded tone in his voice. Everything about Deku frustrated her to no end. He tried to help her out, henpecking her as she furiously waved him off. After a gulp of water, Ochaco wiped her mouth and breathed.

"Yeah, I'm really-" _cough_ "-not gonna talk to ya. Why would I? After we find Yuang, I'm hauling you to jail. That's it." Deku continued to look down, spyglass in his lap. He didn't move, didn't make a sound. Uraraka was perplexed by the look on his face. It just did not sit right on Deku, like a poorly fitted shirt. He was helpless in his own dejected state and it burned her up.

She squashed the urge to throw her chopsticks at him. "Ugh, fine. What do you wanna talk about?"

Deku stayed quiet and just shook his head. Ochaco felt her anger peak. A few more seconds passed while she mentally berated her would-be companion. "I've never known you to shut up. Just spit it out, okay? If it'll get you to stop being such a baby."

Something new lit up Deku's face, bewildering Uraraka more. She hated to admit it, but whatever look he was giving her now felt better than the one it had replaced. He shook his a bit, averting his gaze in uncertainty. Midoriya looked back at her with a quivering smile and cleared his throat.

"Um, would you...w-would you l-like to play a game w-with me?" Ochaco was taken aback. Her eyes grew wide with skepticism. Deku swallowed hard, looking away as he continued to talk. "I-it's an easy one. You a-ask me some questions, I give you some answers. Then we switch. I figured… I figured, if we're going to be working together, we should maybe get to know one another."

"Are you serious? You wanna play games while this poor girl is out there being abused by a bunch of assholes no better'n you? Yeah, no. We're done talkin'."

"Ah c'mon, Uravity," Deku pleaded, "I'm not that bad. You could find out if you just asked questions. I promise I'll be honest." Uraraka barked out a harsh laugh. She rolled her eyes and got up, Deku in tow. Uravity brushed herself and shook her head.

"_'You can't trust a crook to be honest,'_" she quoted. Deku ran a hand through his fluffy hair.

"Only if you don't give me a chance to earn your trust. C'mon, Uravity. What've you got to lose? I'm already headed to jail, aren't I?" She tried to turn away from those begging green eyes. She really did, but somehow they pulled her into them and Ochaco was awash with something akin to pity. It was true; he was going away for good after this was done. Whether he made good on that promise or not. There wasn't any harm in getting more evidence to use against him when he was offering it freely. Uraraka checked her phone once more and balked at how much time they had left.

"Fine, let's play Twenty Questions."

"Ah ah," Deku retorted, wagging his finger with a sleazy grin, "Twenty-One Questions, Ms. Hero." He giggled at her eye roll and invited her to sit back down. Midoriya composed himself and laid out some ground rules.

"No asking about Quirks. I already know about yours and mine isn't interesting. We take turns asking until we've hit twenty one. Anything you want off the table, Uravity? Any extra rules?"

"I can think of a few things," she mused. Uraraka tapped a finger to her chin before answering. "Alright, so I can't talk about your Quirk? Fine. There's not much about me that isn't out there already, but I guess I'd say my family is off limits. I don't need you to know anything about them."

"OK alright," he nodded, "Anything else? No, okay. You can ask me anything." Uraraka shot out a question before she could even think. Deku's smile only grew.

"What's your real name?"

"Ah, Princess," he gave with glassy eyes lost in a dream, "You already know it." Deku winked at her and waited patiently for the next question.

"Ugh, alright, Deku," Ochaco coughed out, "Your turn." He grew a wicked smile, rubbing his hands together.

"What's your favorite thing to eat?"

Time flew by and Ochaco strangely found herself actually relaxing around Deku. When her defenses weren't up, she could appreciate his charm. Izuku was witty, jovial, and had a brightness about him that drew her in. A moth to flame. He made her laugh a few times, which caught her off-guard. It felt like they were just two friends catching up, not polar opposites on a job. More than once, Ochaco felt her face heat up at his gorgeous smile. Izuku never brought it up, which she was thankful for. She didn't learn much about him. He was open to answering anything she threw at him, but there was reluctance inside that held her back. Ochaco opted to keep things on a lighter note as they were wrapping up the night. A beeping came from Midoriya's wrist and his smile twisted a little on his lips. He clapped his knees and got up.

"Alright, Princess, time to go." Deku helped her up and gave a deep bow to her. Ochaco could only laugh at his antics. She was getting too comfortable around Midoriya, but she wasn't sure if that was altogether a bad thing. Deku rubbed the back of his neck uncharacteristically. He seemed a little flustered and uncertain of what to do next. "So...until next time?"

"Yup. Keep me posted on when we should come back here or if you find out anything new." Deku donned his mask while nodding in agreement. Just before he took off, Ochaco stopped him. "And hey, Midoriya?"

"Yeah, Sunflower?" Always with the nicknames.

"Just curious: why're you calling all the shots? If we're gonna work together, we need to take turns setting up these stakeouts." This was a tried-and-true tactic Ochaco had used before on partners in the past. Failure was usually guaranteed, but every once in a while there'd come along someone who'd get it right. Midoriya looked at her with a thoughtful lean of his head.

"You know what, I'll think about it and let you know. Promise; we'll keep this even. See ya, Ms. Hero." Well, that isn't exactly a pass, but it's not a fail either.

"G'night, you crook." With that, Uraraka took off and leapt away towards the next building. She left Deku in her wake to stare in awe of her grace and speed. She activated her boosters, flying through the clusters of trees. A minute or so later, she was pulling fronded branches that were piled over her sleek motorcycle. Built by Mei and Melissa, it was a machine unlike any other. Pale rose panels accented the glossy black body. A glass console sat in-between the handles, lit by electric blue words as she touched her fingers to it one at a time. The bike hummed to life as the same blue light bled into lines between the panels and in a ring at the wheels. She dimmed the lights, settling herself in for a long ride.

Uraraka hair whipped in the air while she sped along the highway. The cool air kissed her fingers and neck, making her hum in delight. She wanted to lose herself in the ride, but found that her brain wouldn't let her. Instead, it kept going back to Deku. It bothered her how he seemed to bounce back so quickly from her rebukes. Of course, her reaction to his melancholy perturbed worse. Deku was an enigma and she would have to understand him in order to plan ahead. Uraraka didn't really trust that a villain would give themselves up so easily and she had to prepare for it.

_Just who are you? What's your angle?_ It was a head-scratcher for sure, but the thing that really bothered her was how happy she was around him. The anger and resentment she felt still lingered, but now it mixed with that odd sensation she had when they had danced. Ochaco bit her lip as she tried to focus on the road. The elation that bubbled up inside was something she thought she had put aside months ago. Uraraka knew she had to be careful going forward, but for now she allowed herself this brief moment of joy.

* * *

Ochaco stretched and yawned loudly as she walked into the office. The mid-afternoon sunlight glowed brightly as she sauntered in. She greeted a few interns with the wave of a free hand and continued straight to her little corner. As she reached her door, Ochaco felt Mina's shout coming before she heard it.

"Ocha! Babe, how are ya?" Mina jumped on Uraraka, wrapping her pink arms around the shoulders. Ochaco laughed, lowering her friend so that they could properly greet each other. Mina's beaming face looked a bit strained at the corners of her mouth. Uraraka paused, but didn't give it further thought.

"Hey, Ashido. You look happy today! What's going on? Did...?" Ochaco gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth, "Did it happen? Did Kirishima finally-?"

"Hahaha! What? Pffft, girl, no. That blockhead's gonna take forever to figure out what's going on. No, I got some exciting news for you! C'mon, we don't want to keep him waiting." _Him? We weren't expecting any visitors today._

"M-Mina," Ochaco laughed shakily as her partner pulled her arm, "Can't I put my stuff down?"

"Fiiiiiine," Ashido whined. Ochaco unlocked the door and lost all sense of self when she stepped through. Her office was dark, the window blinds lowered and closed. Nothing had changed since she was last in to do some paperwork except for her desk. Standing in the middle of the table top was a tall vase made of green ceramic with a pink silk bow at the neck. Filling it was the largest bouquet of sunflowers she had ever seen. Really, it was the biggest collection of any flowers she'd ever laid her eyes on. Ochaco held a smile at bay. She knew who it was from. There was no need to look at the card hanging on the bow.

_I shouldn't be this happy to see this_, she thought to herself, _But who am I kidding? I never get flowers. Never got them before..._

"Oh. My. God. 'Chaco! What are those?!" Mina's shriek pulled her out of her conflicted thoughts. Uraraka's face burned up as Ashido squeezed past her. Ochaco vainly tried to stop her friend from reading the calling card. Thankfully, it was just a plain white card and not his business card.

"Ahem. _'To Sunflower: Miss you. Hope you're alright. Saw these and thought of you. Call me when you want to have another date. Love -I.'_ D'awwww, Ochaco..."

"Hahaha, it's really not like that, Mina," Uraraka refuted in spite of Ashido's cooing. "It's a joke, that's all. Do I really look like a pet-name-and-flowers kinda girl?"

"Oh, uh, yes, absolutely, Uraraka," Mina shot back without hesitation. Ochaco paled at the answer, rubbing her neck in confusion. _Didn't take myself for a sap..._

"Anyway, kudos to you," Mina said with a bright smile, replacing the card on the bouquet, "You can tell me all about Prince Charming later. Now put your stuff down and follow me!" Uraraka gave another laugh as she set her items next to the vase. She touched a solar yellow leaf, a soft look in her eyes as she felt the floral between the pads of her fingers. There was an undesirable pull there, a sort of light that drew her in and lowered her guard. With a bit of mental flexion, Ochaco pulled away from the sunflowers and followed after Mina.

Mina waved Ochaco over to her own office. Uraraka turned the corner and felt her jaw drop. Sitting across from Ashido's desk was a wiry, round-faced gentleman. His brown suit pants and crisp white shirt were impeccably pressed. A matching sports coat hung on the back of the chair where he sat. Caramel-colored wingtip shoes gleamed at the end of his pant legs. His dark hair was covered up by a short-brimmed fedora. Black, thickly-framed glasses laid on the bridge of his nose. Behind those frames were a pair of brilliant emerald eyes that had been haunting her lately. She felt fury burn inside her, but she did her best to hide it. Better to play along than alert Mina.

"Ochaco, this is Mr. Sakamoto of the Per Diem Trumpeter. He wants to interview us for his paper! Apparently, we've been getting more attention lately. Isn't that great?"

Uraraka gave Ashido a wooden smile and did her best to not look at the man sitting next to her. She could feel that familiar illuminating smile, burning hot like a spotlight that was fixed on her. Mina rubbed her hands together in excitement, leaning back in her chair with glee.

"So, Mr. Sakamoto, whaddya want to know?"

"Ah, well," he spoke with a bit of a hoarse voice, clearing it best as he could, "C-could I have some water?" Midoriya didn't have the warmth she was used to, but Ochaco figured that it was all part of the act. Mina nodded enthusiastically and squeezed past Uraraka.

"Yeah, I'll be right back! I think I know where I've got some spare bottles..."

With Ashido gone, Uraraka rounded on the gentleman sitting next to her. He grinned widely against her harsh scowl. "Mr. Sakamoto" held his hands up defensively. Ochaco shook with fury and unleashed a spiteful whisper at him.

"What are you doing here? In my office! This better be good or I swear to God, Deku!"

"I know, I know! I should have waited for you to call me, but I just… I wanted to see you, erm, sooner. Besides, how were you gonna call me? I forgot to write my number on the card," Deku explained as his face burned up. Ochaco just couldn't believe her luck. Here was a dangerous villain who had been interfering with her life, and he had the audacity to be embarrassed. "And I'm not just here for a social call. I found a lead that sounds really promising."

"Spit it out," Ochaco shot. Deku shook his head as his grin wavered.

"Soon, but first: did you like the flowers?" Ochaco almost punched him; would have too if his bright face wasn't so hopeful. She relented, unclenching her fist slowly. Uraraka did her best to not look him square in the eye.

"Deku, seriously. What's going on? Did you find Yuang?"

"You're no fun, you know," Deku pouted, "I haven't found her, but I did learn something interesting: they're onto us." He leaned in closer to her, eyes a little manic as he waited for her to react. Despite her confusion, Uraraka held her ground against his crazed expression.

"Who's 'they?' Is it like some gang or what?" Deku sat back down, tucking in some stray green curls under his hat.

"Right, right," Deku muttered, "Okay, so here's how I think this breaks down. There's this ring of smugglers: The Catchers. Don't get hung up on their name; they're the ones making the 'orders.' The Oozers - they're those guys you fought off in the subway - help bring in those people. I just don't know who's running The Catchers. Every time I've, um, talked to a Catcher they absolutely refuse to give me any names."

"But you have a hunch, don't you?" Ochaco watched his brow relax slightly. Midoriya nodded and continued speaking with a rushed breath.

"I do, but there's one person I can't confirm just yet. We've got Mori and Hosori-"

"Wait, Captain Hosori? How's she involved in this? Yeah, she's a major pain in the ass, but she ain't dirty." Deku shook his head, eyes darting around in thought.

"You're far too trusting, Uravity. Didn't we leave Yuang with Hosori? Doesn't it bother you that she's been so uncooperative with your agency lately? No, I think I'm right on the money with this."

Ochaco ran a hand through her hair, blowing out a gust of air in frustration. This was a lot to take in, and she needed to tell Mina what was going on. The thought of Ashido prompted her to turn towards the door.

"Say, you didn't do anything to Mina, did you?" Deku snapped out of his thoughts and did a double take. He looked like a lost puppy, which only served to irritate Uraraka.

"I didn't-"

"Okay! I'm back!" Mina shouted, bursting through the doorway with a few bottles of water in each hand, "Sorry that took so long. I had to go diggin' for these babies." Mina wiggled past Ochaco and passed out the drinks. Sitting with a deep sigh of satisfaction, Ashido leaned back far enough in her chair to rest her boots on the desktop.

An awkward lull fell upon the room. Ochaco sipped at her bottle, watching Mina leisurely drink. Deku kept a neutral expression and rifled through his note pad. Uraraka was impressed that he kept his cool under such pressure, though he might have only been so collected due to his own arrogance. Mina was the first to break the ice with a cheeky smile that split across her face.

"So, Mr. Sakamoto, can I ask you something?" Deku looked up, putting on a winning grin of his own. He began to dig in his coat for something as he answered.

"Of course! Go ahead, I'm just looking for a pen."

"Okay. What are your intentions with my Uraraka, Mr. Deku?" Ochaco began to choke on her water. Midoriya started to fuss over her, almost falling out of his chair as he tried to help. Mina continued to drink quietly, her golden eyes casually watching the scene unfold before her.

"U-Uravity! Are you okay?"

"D-Deku? M-Mina, are - cough! - are you sure you haven't been day drinking?" Uraraka choked out, her voice hoarse from exertion. Mina capped her bottle and smacked her lips for a moment. She regarded them with an unreadable expression.

"I'm not stupid, 'Chaco. I think I would remember the guy who toyed with you at the Gala." Mina narrowed her eyes to burn Midoriya with scorn. Ochaco waved him off and he sat down, visibly swallowing his fear down under Ashido's scathing glare. "Just what's your game, asshole? Do you know how happy my Uraraka has been recently?"

"H-ha-happy?" Ochaco began to wheeze again. Happy? She's gotta be outta her damn mind!

"I'm sorry, Pinky, but I think you've mistaken me for someone else," Midoriya replied. He pulled out his wallet and showed them his driver's license. If Ochaco didn't know better, she would have accepted the genuine item. Mina scrutinized it, taking the card out and turning it over in her hands. Ashido shook her head, placing the card into the wallet. She flung it at Deku.

"Nope, you're Deku, alright. Just look at 'Chaco. She's practically glowing 'cause of you!"

"Mina, that's actually because I was choking on some water! This isn't Deku! Do you think he'd be crazy enough to show up here?" Ashido's conviction wavered a bit. Her eyes darted between Deku and Uraraka, her brows knitting themselves further into turmoil as time continued. Just as she thought they were in the clear, Ochaco heard Deku clear his throat. They shared a look. Ochaco tried to plead with him, but she could tell his mind was made up.

"Sorry, Sunflower. She's got me dead to rights." Midoriya smiled at her sadly, removing his hat and glasses. Midoriya took out a handkerchief to wipe his face off. With the transformation complete, Deku gave the same tragic smile to Mina, who puckered her lips in thought. Uraraka felt her blood run cold. It was as if time had slowed to a painful stop, her heartbeat thrumming against her ribs.

"M-Mina, I can explain-'' Ashido held up a hand but didn't break eye contact with Deku. Her partner rocked in her chair, still leaving them in the awkward, heavy silence that stifled the air.

"I'm only going to ask again, Deku: what are your intentions with Ochaco?" Midoriya glanced over to Ochaco, giving her a reassuring smile. He sat up straighter, drawing up a bit of courage to answer Pinky.

"I dragged her into a mess that I created. I just want to do right by her. Besides, we make a pretty good team. Why break up the band when we're on a roll?"

"And there's nothing else? You're just fixing a situation with her?" Mina asked. She sounded unconvinced. Ashido lowered her boots and leaned forward in her chair to peer into Deku's face more closely. To his credit, he didn't flinch, didn't move. Ochaco felt as if she could die right then and there, sitting in Mina's office and watching her friend stare Midoriya down. Something must have clicked with Ashido, because her face lit up with a smile and she leaned back in her chair, relaxing a little. Uraraka felt the air lighten up, allowing her to finally breathe.

"Okay, Deku. I read you, loud and clear. Now get out of our office. Don't come back until you have a lead that gets us to Yuang, got it?" Deku prepared to leave, donning his disguise once more. Mina threw a baby blue medical mask at him from the drawer. He thanked her and stepped past Uraraka. Izuku stopped for a second as their gazes latched onto one another. She thought he was going to say something, the words swimming in his deep green irises. He opted to put the mask over his mouth and closed the door behind him as he left. The two heroes sat in silence, Ochaco's dread mounting in her chest and rising up to her eyes.

Mina groaned painfully, her head collapsing on her desk. Ochaco reached out to her, but stopped short. She bit her lip in guilt and waited for the coming storm.

"Ochaco, you know we're partners, right?" Mina asked, scratching her scalp roughly.

Uraraka felt her guts twist. Mina's voice was devoid of any accusation, but Ochaco knew it was buried under years of working together, trust they had built up only to be torn by her own blindness.

"Mina...I'm so sorry. I should have told you-"

"Well, as your friend and partner, let me give you some advice: you can't save him. No matter how bad you might want to, he's just too far gone. I mean, he's a wanted man! What were you thinking?"

"Mina, it's not like that-"

"Bullshit, and you know it, 'Chaco! Don't lie to me," Mina demanded. Tears started to form in both of their eyes. Ashido was now frowning in an attempt to stave off shedding any rogue droplets, which began to streak down her pink face. "Just...promise me that you're only looking for Yuang and that you'll keep me in the loop from now on. Promise me."

Uraraka closed her eyes. Mina was right. Something in her had gone astray, making her lose focus on what was important. She was disgusted with herself. _This is just like when I was with Kat..._

"I promise, Mina. I promise."

Mina sighed loudly and got up. She looked wounded as she bit back a shout. Ochaco flinched, feeling the ugliness of the situation burn at her face, squeezing her ribcage tightly. Ashido shook her head, storming out of the office. "I've got to get going. I'm gonna be late for a thing with Kiri. Oh, 'Sunflower?' I know he's no better than a petty thief, but you gotta watch yourself around Deku. He's a thief, alright, and I don't want to see you get hurt."

Uraraka was left shaking in Mina's wake, fighting back a sob. Guilt wracked her mind as she tortured herself over her own failure to come clean. That, and Mina was right: she really thought she could pull Deku out of the dark. She had tried before with others and it always ended poorly.

_I just thought that it would stick this time. Ugh! I can't believe how stupid I've been. Mina…Yuang…I won't let you down again._

Ochaco somberly walked back to her office. Her arms swung heavily at her sides as she closed the door behind her. The vase of sunflowers still stood in the middle of her desk. They mocked her in the dark of the office. With her face twisted in agony, Uraraka grabbed a hold of the porcelain and lifted it from the table top. She cocked back her arm, only to lower the vase back down. Ochaco fell to her knees, genuflecting before the sunflowers, and wept.


	12. Cold Comfort

Deku was pouting. She could tell. His shoulders were hunched; the binoculars gripped deathly tight in his gloved hands; and every so often he would twitch his head slightly in agitation. Uraraka had worked with him long enough now to know he was upset and she knew exactly why.

"Ok, you two, fill me in on what's been going on," Ashido chirped. Ochaco thanked her as she took an offered cup of coffee. The rich aroma of roasted beans wafted up with the steam of the beverage and gave Uraraka a new lease on life. All three were standing on the roof of a small apartment building. They were watching a small convenience store that lit up the otherwise quiet street with booming fluorescence and neon lights. Ochaco and Mina had been skeptical when Midoriya suggested they stakeout this store. It was in a low traffic area and the most conspicuous activity was when a couple of kids had been run out of the store for attempting to steal some candy.

"Honestly, I think we might be wasting our time," Uraraka whispered. The ladies peeked over to Deku who was still keeping watch over the street below. "You ask me, this was just a poor excuse for Deku to get me alone with him. I can't _stand _that guy."

"Oh, I'm sure, Ocha," Mina responded with poorly disguised disbelief. Since his failed attempt to infiltrate their agency, Ashido had been quite vocal about her opinions on the situation. Uraraka tried her best to shake off Mina's teasing and snippy comments, but she felt the strain it was taking on their friendship. No amount of protesting and denial helped the situation. She was resigned to endure Mina's scorn for the time being. Better not to rock the boat in such violent waters.

"This isn't a waste of time, Uravity. As a matter of fact, the main event just arrived." They turned to Deku who was pointing at the shop they had been scoping out. Uraraka felt a slight twinge of guilt. For all of his smarminess, Deku had turned out to be half decent. He was hell bent on finding Yuang and, despite his flirty nature, always spoke respectfully to Ochaco. Maybe she was growing softer or she was just lonely; Uraraka couldn't tell. All she could say for sure was that Mina had been right: she really believed she could pull him out after this mess was taken care of. She had to reconcile with the fact that this smug crook had somehow charmed his way into her own heart.

The three of them knelt down to be less obvious as they observed a large SUV parked outside the convenience store. In the driver's seat with the window rolled down was a bald green skinned man. His pointed ears flapped as he bobbed his head to the music playing on the radio. A small group of women poured out of the back seats. They were dressed to kill in sleek heels and tight dresses. They sauntered into the store, waving farewell to the driver.

"See ya later, Toko!"

"Yeah see you in a couple. Don't forget this time!"

The driver visibly grumbled as he turned the ignition. Uravity took away her gravity and took off in pursuit of the SUV. She was taken aback by how slow it was moving. With her rocket boots, she quietly stalked the Oozer with cover from the night sky. Mina's voice came through her earpiece. "Remember the plan, Uravity: You follow that guy until he parks. Put a jammer on his car, then you get back here. We'll wait to storm the store until you're here."

"Got it, Pinky. Hope this doesn't get too rough."

"Shouldn't," Deku said curtly. Ochaco involuntarily flinched at his tone. It didn't have any of the luster or warmth she was used to. It shouldn't have bothered her so much, but she did insult him when he was just doing his part. Ochaco shook off the thought and focused back on the task at hand.

She weaved in and out of sight, ducking between powerlines, billboards, or traffic signs. Keeping up with the Oozer was easy. He drove at a leisurely pace, still bouncing to the music on his radio. Uraraka half expected him to blast the sound. Half a mile away from the store, he finally backed into a tiny ally where the SUV was well hidden. Ochaco found herself crouched on the roof of a squat store. The Oozer had driven himself into the back road between a few shops. Uraraka took in the shuttered garage doors and dim light coming from the lamps bolted to the building walls.

_Kinda weird that he'd be near another store but this is a great spot to hang out. Not a lot of heroes or cops to come snooping_, she pondered. She touched her earpiece and almost spoke when she heard Mina's voice come through.

"-gotta be kidding me. 'Just friends?' You're a terrible liar, Deku."

Ochaco bit her lip. They had left their radios on. While she was worried about having their secure line vulnerable, there was a strong curiosity that hushed her. Deku's voice dripped with annoyance as he responded.

"I've already said my piece. Now can we focus, please? Those women down there could be in danger."

"Uh huh," Mina shot back, "Because you're just soooo concerned with their well being. C'mon, do you think I'm stupid? Do you think Ocha is?"

"Of course not! I just want to find Yuang alright? I promised her that she'd be safe and I have to make good on that." Midoriya's voice was on edge, a quiet desperation tinged in his tone. Ashido continued to press him.

"So we find Yuang and then what? You just turn yourself into us and the cops? Seems like a bad deal. I don't believe you're just gonna give up like that. There's gotta be a backup plan or something."

"No. I'm turning myself into Uravity, nobody else." A heavy silence followed for a few seconds. Ochaco could imagine Mina's scrutinizing look as she sized up a brooding Midoriya. She was about to speak when Ashido beat her to the punch.

"Why'd you become a villain?" Before she could stop herself, Uraraka muted her mic. This was a question that had been burning inside her since she met him. He was, for all of his flaws, a good person. Deku didn't seem particularly violent or cruel. Just what turned him to the crime? Midoriya heaved in a loud breath and let it out. Ochaco figured his patience was running thin.

"You know, I only like to play this game with Uraraka." She slapped her head. _Goddammit, Deku! Why'd you say it like that?!_ Mina seemed to have the same thought as the smugness in her voice seeped through Uraraka's earpiece.

"Oh? _Do you now?_ You like to _play games_ with Ocha? What other games do y'all play? Hmm?"

Deku did his best to walk back his unfortunate choice of words. "I-it's n-not like t-that! I m-meant T-twenty Two Q-questions." Uraraka was going to kill him. Handing Mina more ammo like that was a sure way to get a free pulverizing from Ochaco. "A-anyway, where is she?"

"Yeah she should have been back now..." Uraraka scrambled to unmute herself and try not to make it sound like she'd been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"He's parked about half a mile from you. I'm on my way back. Let me just put the tracker on him."

The other two breathed out in relief. Mina took a moment to berate her while Deku mumbled a prayer of thanks that she was ok. Ochaco floated herself over to the alley where her target sat. Hovering just above the roof of the car, Uraraka pulled out a magnetic tracker she had gotten from Mei and Melissa. It blinked to life the moment it stuck, a tiny pink glow peeking through the metal housing cartridge. Satisfied with her work, Uravity gently pushed herself up and silently floated out of sight. She didn't activate her boosters just yet. Turning on the rockets in her boots might have alerted her prey and Uraraka did not feel like engaging in a chase. The sound of perky, drunken voices coming from behind caught her attention.

"We've got a problem," she whispered to the other two. Ochaco perched herself on the nearest billboard and watched a gaggle of young women stagger out of the back of the convenience store's ally doorway. Their dresses and hair were in disarray, the thin heels that they wobbled in clacking against the broken tarmac underneath them. A few cackled as they clung to one another for stability. _What the hell are they doing here? Are they drunk? _

"Uravity, talk to me girl. Whaddya see?"

"Group of girls just stumbled out the back of another convenience store. Looks like they're headed toward the SUV," Ochaco reported. Her concern grew as the group of ladies got closer to the Oozer's hiding spot. Just before she or Mina could speak another word, Deku tersely interjected.

"That's the next pickup. They're a little early but they'll be ok, Uravity. You might want to check out the store though; see if there's anyone you could get some information from." Uraraka twisted her face in disgust.

"And when were you going to tell us that there was _another_ group of girls? Just how many do they have, Deku?" When it became apparent that he wouldn't answer, Uravity muted herself with a growl. She floated away from the SUV and to the store front. As she expected, the GPS display on her wrist began to show the Oozer moving away from his original position. Ochaco set her face in a grimace. Instead of rescuing those women, she was stalking around the corner as Deku had instructed. _Where the hell does that guy get off? Mina and I are the heroes here! We should be calling the shots…_

A few greasy looking men were shooting the breeze not too far from the corner she was peeking around. Their eyes were glazed and sleazy grins were plastered on their faces. Neon light bounced off their dark hair. Ochaco had a hard time hearing what they were saying. She resisted the urge to get closer.

"Seriously, you going to actually give us any useful information, Deku?" Mina hissed over the comms link. _She's just as pissed. Good. Maybe she'll just book 'im like I shoulda. _

Deku cleared his throat. He sounded strained, like he didn't want to talk or he was uncomfortable. "I thought I had given you everything. I'm sorry if I slipped up. Just having a bad day I guess."

"Yeah you've been acting like a straight up baby all night. What the hell's the matter with you?" Ochaco couldn't help but nod furiously in agreement with Mina. Deku seemed off today but she swore it was because he didn't want Ashido there.

"Today's… an anniversary of sorts. Sorry. I promise I'll be more present." That piqued Ochaco's curiosity. Thankfully, she had Mina to press the matter. After a few minutes of bugging him, Deku finally caved to Ashido's persistent questions. "Today's the day I became a villain."

"Ok, this I gotta hear. C'mon, spill." Ochaco bit back the urge to chime in. She didn't want to give herself away but she also really wanted to hear Deku's story. The men she was watching hadn't moved away yet. There was still time to interrogate them if need be.

"About ten years ago," Deku started, "My mom learned that she was really sick. It was pretty grim. Probably the worst day of my life really. Ever since I had been little, all I wanted to grow up to be was a hero like All Might. Then I actually met him. He saved me from a sludge villain and gave me some great advice. Just as I was going to chase after All Might, I got a call from my mom."

"I went home and saw her sitting at the couch. She'd been crying. It was obvious. Mom was on the phone with Dad - he worked abroad to provide for us, so he wasn't around much - and I caught enough of what they were saying to put the pieces together. Even with Dad's work, we weren't going to be able to afford her treatment. I ran out of the apartment and just… kept going. I didn't even look where I was going. I went on until I had nothing left in me. That's when I realized what I had sprinted to."

"It was a drug deal. Nothing big, just a street dealer getting payment for some product. The guys thought I was some narc and I would've been if I hadn't seen the stack of cash in their hands. My eyes must've gotten huge, because the next thing I knew they were taking me for a little stroll. I thought I could somehow convince them to give me some cash or that I could earn it."

"What happened?" Mina asked in a hushed chime. Uraraka could almost hear Deku's smile as he continued to speak.

"Well, they robbed me. Took everything of value they could but it wasn't much. Thankfully, they didn't rough me up too hard. Or… maybe they did and I just wasn't fazed. I had a bully back then and he liked to torture me a lot. Anyway, yeah, I walked back home alone, but I went back to that spot after school everyday for a few weeks. Soon enough, I found them. At first they thought I was there to snitch or fight them but I managed to tell them I wanted in on their operation. I needed to make money. A lot of it and fast. They were more than happy to oblige. The rest is sort of history. Now I do this for a living. Actually, I make really good money, but that's not the point. I figured early on that if I couldn't be a hero who saved people, the very least I could do was keep the gangs in check. 'Course that meant that I had to get my hands dirty sometimes. No skin off my nose though. It's just business."

Ochaco numbly wiped the tears silently cascading down her cheeks. Her breathing was labored and her chest was constricting painfully. _There go I but by grace… Deku, I had no clue. I-I wish… I wish I could help ya. I'm so sorry. Gotta say to his face. Mask off and everything. _ Uraraka turned off her comms. She didn't - _couldn't _\- hear another word. Right now, she had to focus on the task at hand.

The sound of gravel being crushed under tires made Uraraka raise her head. A police cruiser had rolled up to the curb. The men she was supposed to be watching began to squirm uncomfortably. She felt a smirk of satisfaction quirk up at the corner of her mouth. Whenever shady looking folks were just loitering, simply apply a hero or an officer to break them up. A car door popped open and was slammed closed as the driver sauntered out.

"Evening guys! I hope you all had a _great_ visit tonight. Got all your needs met?" The voice was painfully cheerful. Ochaco felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise up. Something about the familiarity and falsetto glee had set off some red flags. It appeared that Uraraka wasn't the only one with reservations. The men grumbled under their breath and stalked off into the night. Clearly displeased, the officer called out after them.

"Aww c'mon, guys! You gotta give me some deets. Ah the hell with it." He walked into the store, disappearing from sight. Uraraka weighed her options. She couldn't march in. There was bound to be a second officer in the cruiser. Plus, Uravity was in her field gear. She'd be spotted right away. Reluctantly, Uraraka pulled out a small device from a belt compartment. It was a tiny marble-sized Saturn. The ring around the miniature planet were small, plastic blades attached by metal rods in the midsection. This had been a gift to her from Melissa. Her instructions to Ochaco had been a little hazy as it was a prototype. After fiddling with some buttons on her left gauntlet, Uraraka managed to have the baby drone up in the air. The blades spun with enough propulsion to lift it up to the roof of the store. Satisfied that it would work, Uravity used her gauntlet to guide the drone towards the door. The sliding door's sensor picked up the drone's presence and opened, allowing entry. Uraraka activated the microphone. Gently flying the drone out of sight, Ochaco listened to the shop clerk speaking to the officer.

"-pens sometimes. Musta been a cat or something. Damn animals." The clerk sounded gruff and ragged. Ochaco conjured up the image of a frail old man with long gray hair flowing over his face, dressed in a bright yellow uniform.

"Uh huh… Animals. Right," the officer said skeptically, "Anyway, how's business going?" Ochaco heard the clerk grunt in response. An awkward silence fell like a heavy fog. Someone cleared their throat, but it was the only sound for a while. Ochaco checked the drone's system to make sure a malfunction hadn't occurred. Finally, the officer spoke again.

"This all of it?"

"Of course it is! Now get outta here."

"Yeah, yeah. You got it. Oh, did you hear about your buddy down a few blocks? Tomo-something or other?" The clerk grunted again. "Yeah, big shame what happened. Arrested for _failure to cooperate_. Then his shop gets completely trashed! Hear he has to move to another town just to start over again. Thanks for this! My boss sends her compliments."

Uraraka moved the drone out of sight and followed the officer out of the store. Moving quickly, she landed the tiny Saturn on the floor of the cruiser just as he opened the door. She left it on to record any more conversation, activating the GPS tracking to retrieve it later tonight. Ochaco floated up to the sky when the cruiser had been long gone. It was time to get back to Mina and Deku. She turned her comms back on and flew towards them.

"Hey! Pinky! You won't believe this," she began. Ashido quickly cut her off with a worried shout.

"Cripes! Uravity, where ya been? Deku here was about to lay an egg, he was so worried."

"_What?!_" Mina chuckled and Ochaco allowed a smile to bloom on her face. _Serves that jerk right, always teasin' me. See how _you _like it, broccoli head._

"Anyway, hit me babe. Whatcha hear?"

"A cop rolled up to the shop and sounded like he was picking up a payment. He definitely knew what was going on in the back. There was a group of guys whom he seemed to recognize. Or maybe he just assumed they were there for girls. Either way, we got a dirty cop in on it. I'm tracking him right now."

"Uravity, did you _see_ this officer's face? Was he carrying anything in his hands?" Deku asked. Ochaco blanched. She hadn't actually seen him. Her hiding spot only offered some much of a view. Had she ventured out more, she would have been compromised.

"Erm… no. Sorry."

"Don't apologize! You found us a lead!" Mina chimed in. Deku hummed in agreement before speaking.

"It's a little early for a money pickup. What I was told, it happens about every other week. Maybe I got the schedule mixed up. Great job, Uravity. How're you tracking the cop?"

Uraraka explained her drone and how it was placed inside the cruiser. She also mentioned that she was going to retrieve later tonight, after they were done with their stakeout tonight. Mina and Deku were extremely displeased.

"Are you bonkers, girl?!"

"Right, you're going to get a drone from a cop car. Alone. Not happening. I'm going with you."

Mina was fit to burst from the sound of her sputtering. She began to argue with Deku about accompanying Ochaco. She saw them waving their arms wildly as they bickered as she flew into view. Uraraka landed gracefully in front of them, relieved that the tight knot in her stomach was loosening as she returned her own gravity. Deku immediately walked up to her. His mask was off, revealing his face twisted by anxiety. He slowed his breathing as he stood there quietly taking in her state. Ochaco looked at him confused but slightly touched that he seemed so hung up about her safety.

"Uh, I-"

"D'you two need a minute? Maybe a room where you can work this out?" Mina asked. Deku's face burned with embarrassment. He shoved his mask back on and turned heel, walking away in a strident pace. With a final look at Ochaco, he leapt off the edge of the building. Uraraka gasped. She took off in a sprint to save him, but stopped at the ledge. He had deployed his umbrella and was gliding down to the street. She could feel Mina slink up behind, her friend's hand slithering up to her shoulders.

"Don't. Say. A word, Mina."

"Oh, 'Chaco. I don't need to say anything. C'mon, let's go get that thingamajig. Who knows how long it'll take to find it."

Contrary to both of their fears, they found the drone in under an hour. The cruiser sat abandoned in the parking lot of a coffee shop. Uraraka felt a deep need inside herself growl loudly when the scent of brewing coffee hit her. Mina seemed to have the same idea. The two exchanged a sad look before turning their attention to the car sitting in the dark not more than a ten yards away.

They snuck around the dark, making as little noise as possible and avoiding the light from the street lamps. Uraraka shook off the very strong idea that she was working very much like Deku. She beat Mina to the driver's side door and crouched out of sight. Ashido kept an eye out for any late night pedestrians that might happen upon them. It wouldn't be a great look for the heroes to be caught breaking into a police vehicle. Uraraka tapped at the minute console on her gauntlet once again and gave a very quiet cheer when her drone came back online. She had it fly up over the lock console so she could examine it.

_No damage! Not even a scratch! We're in luck. Now to get… it out… _

_Damn it._

"Hey Mina," she whispered, desperately hoping Ashido wouldn't pick up on her panic, "How're we supposed to get this out?" Mina grew stiff and slowly turned to look at Uraraka. There was a wild, manic gleam in her golden irises.

"You mean we chased this thing around all over town and we don't have a way to extract it? Seriously?" Ochaco only gave a simpering smile as a reply. The two took a collective sigh and slumped against the cruiser. "We're screwed. One hundred percent, screwed."

"_Not exactly."_

They bolted up in alarm. Darting their gaze about, the two heroes heard the bored drawl of Deku's voice call to them again. "_I'm on your comm's line, ladies."_

"Of course…" Ochaco grumbled, "Whaddya want, Deku? We're kind of busy here. Where the hell even are ya?"

"_Aww. Missed you too, Sunflower."_

"Oh that's funny. Last I saw, you ran off like a big baby. Couldn't stand the ol' Pink heat huh?" Ashido chirped. Ochaco could almost feel Deku's eye roll over her earpiece.

"_If you're done being… whatever, I do have a suggestion to help you out."_

"Fine. Spit it out." Ochaco huffed out. Deku was likely around the top of a nearby building, spying on them. She was tired of being a pawn in his games. "We don't have all night."

"_Of course, Sunflower," _ he answered her with a audible grin, "_You could just download the audio file to your costume's memory. That way, you could get what you need without having to break in."_

Mina slapped her own forehead as Uraraka's jaw dropped. _Of course _they could do that. It just hadn't occurred to them to go that route. Why would it? That drone was a gift from Dr. Shield and was very unique. Ochaco resigned herself to this loss for the sake of finding Yuang. Whatever was recorded on that could be the key to their next steps.

_Maybe we could find her without Deku's help. _

The corner of Uraraka's mouth pulled down as she frowned. While the thought was tempting, it had felt wrong to her, and the fact that it _did_ disturbed her even further. She needed to create more distance between them. The further he was, the easier it would be to arrest him. Ochaco got to work while silently battling the glaring feelings inside herself. Mina gave her a thumbs up in encouragement and ended the conversation with Midoriya.

"Thanks for the tip, Deku. Be seeing you around never!"

"_Bye, Sunfl-"_

With the download complete, Uraraka set the drone back in it's hidden spot. Remorsefully bidding goodbye to the object, she took off with Mina at her side. The two disappeared into the night. There was work to be done, information and data to dissect, but for now? They had to get rest.

* * *

Deku watched as Uravity ran away, like a raccoon that had barely escaped notice. He felt the fabric of his mask catch in the folds of his frown. It was hard to watch her go, but he hated to admit why. It had been fun, almost, to go out stakeouts with the gruff and humble hero. She was starting to warm up to him too. Her partner was great when she wasn't trying to insinuate the obvious. Deku brushed off the thought and refocused on the task at hand.

_Gotta get that drone._

He casually walked to a rusted ladder on the left facing wall of the coffee shop where the officer and his passenger had taken refuge. While the boisterous cop might have been acting cool and collected, Deku knew that both were on edge. For a moment, he worried that Uravity's activities had been found out. Thankfully, their paranoia turned out to be nothing more than the side effects of whatever narcotic they had abused. Izuku climbed down to the concrete siding that kissed the asphalt. Carefully tip toeing under the wide open windows, he hurriedly made his way to the cruiser.

When he reached the driver's side door, Deku pulled out a leather pouch that was worn from handling and use. He unfurled it to reveal his set of lock picks and set to work on getting inside. After hearing the satisfying _click_ through the door, Izuku opened it quickly and grabbed his prize. He took a moment to smile at it. When he had last visited Mei and Melissa's lab, he left behind a design for them to work on. While they hadn't been happy to see him again - when were they ever? - they had jumped at the opportunity to design something for Uravity. However, Melissa scrutinized him for his request.

"_Is this really how you want to use the time you have left? Having us make stuff for _heroes_?"_

At the time, it had made perfect sense to him. Uraraka needed more upgrades to help with finding Yuang. This was just another way to help her level up, so to speak. Whatever was coming, she could use all the help she could get. He felt he had done a good job of dodging Melissa's probing questions. After all, he did have a reputation to upkeep. Still, that was the beginning of his problems. A few missions with Mina more than proved it.

At first, it had been simple and clean enough. She was a strong, up-and-coming pro hero. He'd find some dirt on her and hold it over her head for any favor he might need. Then he actually met her in person. Soon enough, they had spoken. He learned that Uravity was far more than just some hero. She was strong, yes, but also kind and warm. There was a safety and comfort that she exuded. Izuku hadn't realized that he wanted to share that with her, maybe even give it back. So, he began playfully flirting with her. _Him! _Flirting with a hero! Initially it was fun to watch her get flustered. Now he had fallen so far away from his original intentions and he was paying the price.

She was on his mind constantly. Uravity was everywhere he looked. It was torture. He wanted to get back to his normal routine without the cloud of Ochaco hanging over him. Life was hard enough as it was. Why did he have to want something more? Izuku knew better than that.

He shut the door after locking it from the inside and strode off casually. Deku removed his mask, pulling out his phone to dial Shield. It rang for a couple of seconds and was answered by a groggy Hatsume.

"W-what do you want?"

"Hi Hatsume. You _do_ know you didn't have to pick up? I could've left a message. Anyway, I've got a few more ideas for that Uravity goober you made. I'll forward them to you in the morning. You two seem busy."

"Whatever. Just leave us al-"

He hung up and continued to meander for some time. His feet mindlessly led him, knowing the way unconsciously. The night breeze had a small bite to it. Deku wrapped his coat tighter around his shoulders and chest, a small act of defiance against nature's fickle mood. Eventually, he stopped. He looked around the area. It was quiet, dark, with a few lamp posts illuminating the walkways around the grassy areas. Rows of stones popped out of the ground in neat, uniform lines. Deku looked down at the one at his feet and gave a half-hearted smile. He plopped himself down on the dewy grass, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling it gave him. With a gentle rub on the rough stonework, Izuku spoke with a quivering voice.

"Hey, mom. Been a while, huh? Sorry about that, but I wanted to talk to you. I need some advice. It's about this girl."


	13. The Warehouse

Ch. 12 The Warehouse

"Where's Mi- er, _Pinky_? She decide to give us a day off?"

Uraraka scoffed. It was a cloudy mid-afternoon, a curtain of gray skies punctured by the occasional stream of sunlight. They were dressed to fight, as always. Deku walked up to her while wiping his face with a handkerchief. The green curls across his forehead clung to his skin. His face was flush, no doubt from running. He was ten minutes late to their next stakeout, which was rare. Midoriya always managed to be the one waiting for her. The rest of him looked as if he had been thrown into rush hour traffic. Tie askew, one end of his collar popped up haphazardly, a shirt tail poking out between his vest and pants. Uraraka shook herself, almost amused at his disheveled appearance. Bright, emerald eyes that gleamed with a boyish enthusiasm. A warmth grew in her chest that flooded her whole body in a breath. Uraraka turned away and did her best to sound annoyed.

"She needed today off, and you're late. What happened? Got caught up in robbing someone?" Deku looked away thoughtfully. Uraraka almost blanched as he took his sweet time to ponder an answer.

"No," Deku eventually gave, "But there were a few people I passed by that had some choice-looking jewelry. Might have made a nice gift for you." Deku winked, which Uraraka returned with a deadpan stare.

_At least he seems to be back to normal. Can't believe I prefer the flirting over the moping._

"Thanks for restraining yourself. I know how hard it is for you."

"I have a really hard time around you, Sunflower. Now really, is Pinky coming or not?" He was fiddling with his mask, stuffed into an inner pocket of his coat. Deku looked a bit goofy as he struggled to pull out his signature disguise and Uraraka felt herself biting back a smile.

"She needed some personal time off," Ochaco lied, "Something about an anniversary of sorts with her boyfriend." Deku hummed in acknowledgement, pulling his mask over his face. Uraraka held no qualms about baldly deceiving Midoriya. She and Mina had agreed that they needed to go deeper into the audio they recovered three nights ago. The officer who Ochaco had spied on was as crooked as they came. In the time her drone was hiding under his seat, he had made two more stops to pick up what he dubbed "a protection tax." She checked the GPS history and confirmed that they were also little shops in different parts of town. Not only that, he also managed to sneak in a few moments of alone time with a woman he had driven up to. Uraraka gagged at the memory of listening to him groan while his cruiser's shocks continuously squeaked for about thirty seconds. Part of her wondered if it was Yuang that he had found.

Surprisingly, they never got his name. He never introduced himself, and the people he had armed barely acknowledged him with more than a grunt. Thankfully, Mina had the foresight to snap a few pictures of the serial number painted just above the fuel tank. With the little bit of information that they had garnered, the heroes set to work on nailing down who this sellout was. Ashido had volunteered to do more digging. Their plan was simple enough: Ochaco would keep Deku off Mina's trail while she went snooping around. They had agreed that they needed to wash their hands of Midoriya as quickly as possible. If they could find Yuang quickly, they could arrest Deku that much faster. Uraraka didn't fight Mina as hard as she probably should have, but she had a plan of her own. Deku was open about his preference for Ochaco, and she had to use that to their advantage. She was also aiming to use this opportunity to talk to him about his origins. So here she was, next to him under a weary sun hidden by folds of concrete clouds.

"Now this looks more like what I was expecting, Deku." Ochaco pointed towards the compound below and across from where they stood. A series of warehouses sat on a huge slab of unbroken concrete. Galvanized chain link fencing surrounded the perimeter. Ochaco felt a familiarity with the complex. Her parents often utilized warehouse storage for their larger equipment, and she remembered riding along with her dad in the seat of a forklift truck as they hauled pieces of lumber around. She had totaled the number of buildings to eight. There was nothing peculiar or special about them, though. Each was capped with a sloped roof of ridged aluminum that peaked in the middle. Uraraka thanked her lucky stars that it was a cloudy day, and with that, wasn't in danger of being blinded by any potential light reflection.

"Is that so? Hrm," Deku mused as he stroked his chin, "Well, this is one of the Chasers' more…_obvious_ spots. It won't be long before the next delivery arrives." The clouds above them shifted and she felt the faint warmth of the sun cascade over her. Deku must have sensed a change because he turned to look at her. Ochaco noticed the apparatus lenses around his eye coverings tighten up to the edges. When prompted to explain his mask before, Deku stated that it was programmed to recognize and mimic his facial expressions. Something must have caught his eye in that moment, and she turned to look behind her to see what it was. Her gaze was met with a sea of building spires against the gray sky. Uraraka turned back and noticed that Deku was staring pointedly at the complex below, his body rigid in a discomfort she almost didn't recognize. _How did _I _make 'im…no, that can't be it. Get ahold of yourself, girl._

A few moments of awkward silence fell on them again. She reflected on the number of times this happened between them. In another life, in any other situation, this might have been cute and welcomed. This silence was strange. They were on opposite sides of the law and society. He was a seedy, flirtatious crook. Where, in his overconfident mind, did Deku find the gall to smash her expectations? Did he think it was funny to wedge himself in her life, to occupy her thoughts constantly? _Why'd I let this happen to me?_

Her mind drifted to the conversation Deku had with Mina and felt a twinge of guilt reverberate throughout her chest. _He must have struggled so hard for his family. Where was his dad? Did his mother get better, or is she still very sick?_ Ochaco balled her hand in a fist up to her chest. It was now or never. Better to get this over with than live on without knowing anything real about him.

"H-hey, Deku?" She watched as the closest rabbit ear on his mask twitched ever so slightly. Ochaco heard the hesitation in her own voice, but she needed to do this. If she could demystify him, then Midoriya could fall back into the neat little box of villains where he belonged, hereby out of her life, and hopefully her thoughts too.

"Yes, Sunflower?" _That friggin' nickname. Always that one._ She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. What should have been simple and easy was officially turning into an elephantine task. With a low breath out, Uraraka asked her question.

"Can we pla- er, can I ask you a few questions?" Midoriya swiveled his head, a look of disbelief on full display across his mask. She felt a slight heat rise in her face, but pressed on regardless.

"You- you want to play _Twenty-One Questions_? R-really?" The strangled hope in his voice almost made her cringe. Deku wrung his hands anxiously for a second. "You sure, Uravity?"

"Yes, but I'll be asking the questions. We don't have a lot of time, right?" Deku nodded in agreement, shifting the tails of his coat as he sat down on the ledge. "Okay, let's make this quick." Ochaco joined him, taking one last breath before she continued with a hint of hesitation. "What...what's your mother like?"

Midoriya took off his mask slowly, revealing a sardonic and hollow smile that was fixed on his face. Something about the despondent gleam in his green eyes hurt her to look at him. Instead, Ochaco chose to focus on the passing cars below. They sat in the stillness of her question for a moment before he spoke with a mellow tone.

"Figured Ashido would tell you. I kind of wanted to talk to you about this myself, but it's not a big deal. So. My mom. What do you want to know? Anything specific?" Uraraka shook her head. "No? Alright. Lemme see… Kind. Warm. Best hugs you'll ever get."

Without giving Uraraka a chance to reply, Deku sprung into his memories. "Before she got sick, Mom was always this super bright spot in everyone's life. If you were ever gloomy or having a bad day, she could just walk into the room and make everything better with nothing more than a smile." His own grin became a bit more toothsome, his eyes lighting up for the first time in ages. Uraraka felt herself mimicking Deku as she watched him speak.

"What did she get sick with? Did she ever get better?"

"It was pancreatic cancer, because of course it was. Aggressive, too. Mom was always so busy trying to take care of me that she never got around to look after herself. We didn't realize how bad it was until we got the call. After that, it was an uphill battle for a long time. Money was already tight, and the expensive treatments only made things worse. Dad was overseas and couldn't help out. We needed cash, and well…Mina told you the rest."

Ochaco gripped her right hand firmly in her lap to fight the temptation to reach out to him. She couldn't even bear to look at him. His voice wrenched her heart, squeezing it painfully with the weight of his own anguish. Uraraka's voice trembled as she pressed her questioning onward.

"Have you ever thought about quitting?" She felt his curious eyes land on her. Despite her better judgement, Uraraka turned to meet his gaze. Her breath hitched in her throat when her eyes locked onto his bright, emerald irises. Something deep inside of her was burning, and it sent a warm, pleasant sensation down her spine. A bright smile crossed his lips, and Ochaco couldn't help but reciprocate the gesture herself.

"Would you like that, Sunflower?"

Uraraka sputtered as she felt her face flush, hands jumping to clutch her cheeks. She furiously worked up the words in her mind to refute Deku. His grin became wider, which only served to frustrate her more. A funny thought struck her.

"And let's just assume I said, 'Yes.' Would that be so bad?" Ochaco revelled in watching Midoriya's face light up in equal embarrassment. He stuttered and pulled at his collar. To add to the effect, Uraraka leaned in closer to him, fluttering her eyes with a pout on her lips. "Would it be such a bad thing to want you to be good for me?"

Deku huffed and turned away, crossing his arms in defeat. Ochaco laughed and amicably slapped his shoulder. "I'm just messing with ya, Deku. As soon as this is done, I'm takin' your butt to jail."

He muttered something under his breath that she didn't catch, but she let it go. The sun began to sink lower in the air. They cast long shadows that disappeared over the ledge. Uraraka coughed to clear her throat, preparing herself for a final question. "Deku, what happened after you joined that gang? You're not still with them, right?"

"Oh, no. No, no, no! About a month after joining them, I met my, uh…_master_. He hated that I called him that. Really, he was just my teacher. That lasted about six months before - wait, hold on."

Deku stood up and pulled his mask on. Uraraka looked at him, confused, until she followed where he was staring. A large truck pulled in through the gate. On the side of its trailer walls were small vents that allowed circulation via conductive fans that spun. _An ice truck? Just what are they transporting?_

"Sorry, Princess. Looks like you won't get to hear more until we go out on another date."

Ochaco took her cue and rolled her eyes, stretching her limbs to limber up her body before standing up. Midoriya started digging around his person while he took a moment to give her some warnings.

"Alright, Uravity. I'm not one hundred percent certain about what we're going into, but I do know that this is where the Chasers and Oozers often do some sort of exchange. Aside from that, I'm at a loss. I've got your back, though."

He pulled out a comically large gun with a three-pronged claw folded at the end of the barrel. It was inverted to how most small arms were supposed to look, or at least in her mind. The handle was large enough to balance out the asymmetrical design. There was no chamber; three small gas tanks clustered together at the head of the handle. Just behind the folded grappling claw stood a large cylindrical container that was hinged on both ends. Thin, spindly wire coiled around the center and was pressed against the delicate barrel casings that kept it inside the container. Ochaco started to laugh with abandon. Deku looked at her, a feeling of hurt expressed across his lensed eyes.

"Deku, you big dummy. You know, I can just float us both down there. Where'd you even get that? The _Secret Agent Store_?" Midoriya lamely gazed down at the device in his hands. With a huff, he put it back in its spot, hidden away behind his body in the darkness of his long coat.

"Fine," he conceded, "But we should wait until they've fully docked and unloaded."

The two of them shared a pair of binoculars that Deku had on hand. Watching in shock, they witnessed several Oozers hauling large white capsules on dollies. There was frosted glass underneath the metal straps of the capsules. Hidden in the swirling fog of the glass were lithe shadows that barely exposed the forms of the victims. Uraraka grit her teeth in disgust. Next to her, Deku was holding his chin and muttering rather quickly under his breath. She only caught snippets of what he was saying through the rapid ramble that escaped his lips.

After the last capsule had been wheeled into the warehouse, the driver popped out of the truck cab and sauntered over to the group of laborers that had moved their victims inside. They stood outside for a few minutes before they turned their heads to an unseen call. One by one, the Oozers marched in and out of her field of sight. Deku snapped his head up, catching her attention. "It's time to pay them a visit, Uravity."

Ochaco gave him a determined nod and touched his arm. She quickly tapped her own soon thereafter, grabbing Deku by the armpits. With her rocket boosters activated, the two cut through the skyline and landed on the roof of the truck's trailer. They worked in tandem to make sure the area was clear of any stragglers. Ochaco turned into the body of the trailer and felt a surge of righteous anger. The interior wasn't very spacious. She had counted at least fifteen capsules as each of them were pulled out. Looking around, Ochaco figured they must have been lined up three abreast. She felt like she was in a sardine can. It was cold, a chilly breeze cutting through to her bones. Uraraka noticed that the A/C fans on the sides were working overtime. _I guess they need to keep those capsules at a certain temp. Wonder why?_

She met up with Deku at the end of the trailer's ramp. He spoke in a hushed tone and gave her a small earpiece. "It's clear, but I don't think we should be going through the front. Take this. It uses a secured two-way frequency." He paused for a moment, bringing a raised index finger to his mouth. "I'll try not to be too loud. Don't want to cause you more trouble, Sunflower." He grew quiet as he took a moment to put on his own earpiece.

"Right. Uh, thanks, I guess." Ochaco removed her helmet to place the earpiece in a free ear canal. She shook her bangs loose and tossed her head back. It felt good to be liberated from her helmet, if only for a brief moment. She replaced her gear on her head and looked at Deku. He was staring blankly at her, silently, almost as if he had lost his nerves. "You alright there?"

"Y-yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Lost my concentration for a second. Won't happen again."

He took off to the right without another word, leaving Uraraka in a state of confusion. _That was weird. He's not usually so…whatever. Gotta find a window, or something._

It didn't take long before Deku's hushed voice sounded in her ear. He sounded cool and velvety, sending another shiver up her spine. Ochaco's face flushed from the thought that _he_ caused that sensation. _Get it together!_

"_Uravity, I'm in. Taking a look around. It's really dark inside. Bad lighting. Let me know when you're in, OK?"_

"Roger that, Deku. I think - Yes! Found a vent. I'm going in." Uraraka climbed up to a metal grate that covered an air vent. She thanked her lucky stars that it was big enough to accommodate her bulky support pieces. With quick hands, she lifted the gravity from the grate and yanked it out of place. Uraraka released its gravity and lowered herself down to earth. After gently laying it on the ground, she hopped back up and pulled herself into the duct. Ochaco pulled her hand back the moment it landed on the metal plates that surrounded her. She could see her breath fog up the space in front of her eyes as her teeth began to chatter. Deku called to her again, and she welcomed the heat his voice brought to her core, a nice contrast to the cramped freezer Uraraka was crawling through.

"_Are you in?"_

"Y-yeah, I-I'm in. Air-r d-duct is c-colder th-than I thought it would b-be." She took away her own gravity while she used her fingers to pull herself through the aluminum canal maze. After getting used to the temperature, Uraraka found a grate that peeked out to a room where the Oozers had congregated. "Deku, I found the Oozers. I'm gonna listen in on them for a bit."

There wasn't much going on, surprisingly. The stocky green-skinned fellows grunted at each other in weird, broken Kansai. They complained about the wait and how the warehouse keeper should hurry to give them their payment. There were two doors that entered the small, dimly lit room. Out of the door opposite to the wall she was hanging in came a man with a long ponytail and a brown jacket. He had a short, pointed nose under a pair of heavy lidded eyes.

"Hey, boys," the newcomer welcomed in a grease-covered voice, "Sorry about the wait. Had to make sure we weren't shortchanging you. This latest batch is some of your best work! Even I might try gettin' in a session before we break 'em in."

"Hrm. Just don't break them _too_ hard before we come back." Uraraka recognized the Oozer speaking as the truck driver. The group shared a wicked grin that enraged her. _These bastards think they can get away with this. Boy, do they have another thing coming._

A short, static noise scratched out from the long-haired Chaser's pocket. He held up a finger to the Oozers as he turned away, speaking into a little radio he produced from his coat. The green-skinned men went back to snorting at each other quietly while the Chaser dealt with whatever the call was. She hadn't heard from Deku for some time, and she began to worry.

"Deku? You doing okay out there?" He didn't answer. She thought that he had been captured, throwing her into a deeper fit of anxiety. She tried calling him once again, but was interrupted by the Chaser entering the room again. He looked alarmed and was digging in his other coat pockets for something as he spoke animatedly to the Oozers.

"Look, we've got a situation here. You're free to - goddammit, where is the fucking money? - free to go but if you wanna stay and help, we'll double the pay."

Uraraka felt her eyes widen involuntarily. _A situation? They can't mean…oh, what'd that snake do this time?_ She was just about to get moving when she heard Deku speak to her.

"_Get to cover."_

A split second later, there was a small blast that rocketed the door into the Chaser's back. The light went out, and the Oozers were thrown off their feet. There was movement in the pit of darkness as someone walked through the threshold. A few Oozers' grumbles were quickly silenced as several soft _schunks_ raced through the air. _Deku's tranqs! Ah, damn it, I gotta get down there now! _

Uraraka abandoned all notions of stealth as she pressed against the grate with all her might. She half thought about activating her boots when Midoriya called out from the dark. His voice was cold and even.

"Hang on and step back, Uraraka." A noisier shot rang through the room below, and the grappling hook clanged against the metal rungs of the grate. He grunted out in some effort and managed to dislodge the covering. Ochaco wiggled out of the air duct, thankful, making sure not to fall flat on her face as she did so.

"Deku, what's going on? I thought we needed to be stea- Deku?"

Midoriya was no longer wearing his mask. His green eyes were ablaze with fury, his brow furrowed deeply. There were scrapes along his face and arms. Somehow, Deku lost his coat along the way to her, leaving him vulnerable. Uraraka watched him in the dark, illuminated by the light pouring in from behind the villain. "Hey, are you okay? What happened?"

Tenderly, she approached him and raised a cautious hand up to his face. Deku flinched before allowing her to touch his wounds. He shook under her gentle touch, tears forming in his eyes. Midoriya was barely holding it together.

"Deku?"

"Ura-Uraraka. It's awful. I walked into - I saw - I'm just so," he stuttered, his breath coming in short rattles. She shushed him by telling him to breathe. After some deep inhales, Deku spoke more clearly, though he still trembled under her fingers. "This place - they're doing awful things. I can't explain it. It's easier if you see for yourself."

Midoriya took her hand, lightly tugging her arm. They ran out of the room and banked hard to the right. Ochaco looked on at the walls surrounding them as they ran. The crew here had built up a series of hallways using whatever they could seem to find. Some parts were made of shredded clear plastic, others with plywood, and some with leftover cubicle walls abandoned from closed down offices. They ran through the maze of halls for a minute before running into the first pair of Chasers. They had a pair of rifles strapped around their shoulders. As Ochaco rounded the corner, Deku let go of her and dove into the pair, taking them by surprise. Moments later, he pilfered their rifles from their limp forms, emptying their magazines and chambers.

They stood in the middle of the warehouse. It was a crossway that had six exits, two that led to longer hallways, the other four mysterious. Deku pointed to a space that was covered with grimy cloth. "That's where…I can't…c'mon. We gotta get them out of here."

Ochaco followed him past the cloth. They walked down a short corridor and stopped in horror. Spread before them was a wide area littered with dingy mattresses and barely conscious bodies. Like the rest of the warehouse, it was poorly lit. An awful smell reached Uraraka's nose, an ungodly mixture of body odor and fluids that should never have to meet. There were three guards laying knocked out to her right. She spotted Deku's tranqs in their necks. She took a few tentative steps further in, kneeling next to the nearest person. It was a young girl, no more than an eighteen-year-old. Her hair was knotted and covered in grime, her skin scuffed with dirt and unmentionable filth. She was frail and gaunt, her dark eyes dull. Uraraka tried to get through to her before Midoriya stopped her.

"Look between her toes," was all he gave. Sure enough, what she found were track marks. _They've been drugging them. _It also dawned on her that, like the girl before her, the rest of the people surrounding them were nude. Another lady nearby crawled over a small pile of bodies laying strung out on a mattress. She reached out to Uraraka, passing out with a gasp. Ochaco swallowed the bile that had risen up in her throat.

"I-I… Oh my God. Deku. No. Nononono. I can't-!"

"Yes you can," he said sharply, "You're a hero and you're not alone." He pulled her up from the ground, using his hands to guide her head. She looked him in the eyes and saw a wavering, but still present, smile. "I am here. We've got this. Let's get them out of here."

She nodded with a numbness that wouldn't go away, despite the energy he had lent her through his smile. The sheer number of people in the room overwhelmed her. With a last look at the sleeping guards, Ochaco had formed a plan.

"Hey, Deku. How long are those guys going to be out for?" He looked at her curiously, checking his tranq gun's magazine.

"I'd say about an hour or so. Might wear off faster if they're bigger. Why? You have something in mind?"

"Let's take the bastards out. It'll be easier to round them up than trying to get everyone out of here."

They pressed through the halls and rooms that they came across. Each new room was its own special little slice of hell. In a few that they entered, Deku made quick work of the guards but quickly stepped out. The women in those torturous spaces had been strapped to benches or saddles, bent over in compromising positions. Their faces were tear-stained and they hung their heads limply. In another room, she charged in and brutally crushed two Oozers who hadn't seemed to care about the commotion going on around them. Just as they were about to engage a passed out woman, Uraraka clapped their heads together. She pulled them away from their victim, stomping on their heads for good measure. After she reassured the women in that room that they would be safe, Deku shot the Oozers with a tranquilizer each. He shrugged at her thoughtful face.

"Just to be safe. Don't want them waking up anytime soon."

In total, they had gathered twenty men (eight of them Oozers) and piled them all in the room that Deku had blown up. Ochaco helped Midoriya drag their bodies. When they were finished, he asked her to start waking everyone inside up or at least try to.

"I'll make sure these guys are taken care of," was all he gave her. Uraraka set to work, racing through the halls and rooms. She took the time to hit her distress signal. Hopefully a few nearby heroes or officers would be able to come for assistance. An agonizing eternity later, Deku caught up to her and began assisting with the victims. They found as many makeshift blankets to cover them as possible. As the two herded the women towards the entrance of the warehouse, the sound of sirens called out beyond the concrete walls. Ochaco felt relief flood her limbs only to have it immediately replaced with fear. She turned to look at Deku who gave a halfhearted smile. "Deku."

"I know, Sunflower. I've gotta go." He closed the gap between them, cupping her face. He hadn't lost his smile and his voice was almost back to its usual warmth. "I'll check in with you later. I'm sorry you had to see all of this, but I'm glad you were here."

"Y-yeah…" Izuku tore off into the bowels of the warehouse, disappearing from her sight.

A swarm of officers and brightly colored heroes flooded through the docking bay. The shuttered garage doors were lifted, allowing the late afternoon light to spill through. Ochaco reached for the nearest hero, crying out for some assistance. Soon enough, she was being swept away to an ambulance. She looked around the driveway, noticing the number of brightly flashing emergency lights that came close to blinding her. Uraraka sat numbly as an EMT ran through the motions of checking in on her. Thankfully, with Deku by her side, Ochaco hadn't been harmed. After a few moments, she was declared in full health but advised to take a day off. Ochaco simply nodded and walked away. She drifted towards the steady stream of first responders escorting the women out, draping fresh blankets over their fragile shoulders. A hint of green caught her eye. A young girl weaved in between the mass of adults that surrounded her. Clutched in her hands was Deku's mask. She held it up like a shield, her eyes blurred with pain. Ochaco put on her brightest smile and carefully approached the young lady.

"Hey, what's your name? I'm Uravity." The girl shook her head, indicating that she couldn't understand her. Ochaco continued to give a warm smile and gestured to the mask. "Can I trade you?"

Uraraka took off her helmet and offered it. They exchanged the pieces, the girl returning Ochaco's smile. Satisfied, she led the child to the nearest ambulance, letting the EMTs do their work.

She didn't stay long. Uraraka gave her statement to an officer, taking care to omit Deku's involvement. There was some praise from the pros and cops, all of which felt hollow. After she wrapped up her obligations, Ochaco took off towards her home. Mina and Hikari called her while she was in the air, but she ignored them. She wasn't in the headspace to talk about what she'd seen, let alone speak to another person. Just seeing them brought back the images, the terror, and all attempts to suppress them came up as futile.

The moment she entered her apartment, Uraraka muffled a scream with Deku's mask. She shouted until her voice was hoarse and her face was ruddy from the effort. Tears streamed down her face as she threw the mask across her room. Sobs wracked her body as she peeled off her costume and ran into the shower. Ochaco cranked her water up as hot as it could go, scrubbing vigorously until her skin was raw.

She dressed into her night clothes, a pair of shorts and a ragged, plain shirt, and collapsed on her futon. Ochaco hadn't even bothered to pull it out completely. Her stomach ached and growled in protest, but she ignored it for the allure of sleep. Chances are, anything she guzzled would come back up. She closed her eyes tightly in a vain effort to stem the flow of her tears.

It was dark and quiet in her apartment. An eerie stillness fell over the space, overwhelming her. Ochaco begged for sleep to take her away but stayed awake despite her hopeless pleading. A soft knock at her door got Ochaco to bolt out of her bed. _Mina, I swear to God. I just want to be alone right now. I just want that one thing._

She swung the door open and gawked at Deku standing before her. He looked horrible. His bright eyes and matching hair looked dull. He wasn't wearing his normal clothes. Instead, he was clothed in plain jeans, bright red boots, and a baby blue hoodie with All Might's logo just above his left breast. Izuku looked desperate, lost in a fog of the same pain she was going through. He opened his mouth in a croak but didn't manage to get a word out. Ochaco pulled him by the front of his hoodie, hiding him from the hallway as she closed the door. They blinked at each other sheepishly before she rushed into him, wrapping her arms around him. The two started to weep bitterly until there were no more tears left in them. Both had fallen to their knees, clutching each other like a lifeline. Finally, Izuku spoke.

"H-hey, Sunflower. I just wanted to see how you were holding up." Ochaco hiccuped a giggle and wiped a few of his tears with a thumb.

"You big dummy. You're worse off than me." They looked at each other, both feeling safe for the moment. Izuku stood up, lifting her with him.

"You're right. Still, I wanted to see you."

"Thanks, Deku. I was having trouble going to sleep. Luckily, you showed up."

"M-me? What? I don't understand," he sputtered as she walked to her futon. She started to pull the mattress out and commanded that he take his boots off.

"Can't sleep with your shoes on. Now get over here."

Deku visibly swallowed the lump forming in his throat, but followed her order. He slowly walked over to her and got into the spot she pointed at. She lay beside him, her back to him, and draped his arm over her waist. They slowed their breathing, covering themselves with a blanket for extra warmth. His breath tickled her neck and ears. A thrill of comfort shot through her limbs and she gave a contented sigh.

"H-hey, Ochaco?" That sent another pleasant shiver through her body. She hushed him, snuggling closer into him and closing her eyes.

"Go to sleep, Izuku. You're making breakfast in the morning."


	14. Cracks in the Ceiling

Ch. 13 Cracks in the Ceiling

Her eyes fluttered open to view the shafts of light cutting through her blinds. Warmth engulfed her, a comfort swaddling her body that left Ochaco feeling secure. She closed her eyes and embraced the strong arms that held onto her hips, a soft breath that snored quietly into her hair, the aroma of green tea and clean skin that enraptured her. Uraraka didn't want to move. Her night had been filled with fits of sweat and nightmares. If it hadn't been for Izuku hushing her, reassuring her that things were going to be ok, Ochaco would not have slept. Of course, she happily reciprocated the kindness for Deku. She felt grateful that he was comfortable enough to be that vulnerable around her. It wasn't something she was used to. It certainly wasn't a common trait in some of the people she had been with before. Neither pressed for anything more than comfort, which was all they needed at the moment. A few tears of gratitude and sorrow leaked out from her closed eyes. Images and smells flooded her mind throughout the night and he was there to console her. Even as her pain threatened to overtake her now, she could feel Izuku's hold tighten around her.

"Mmm… S'okay, Sunflower. I've got you," he whispered. Ochaco grabbed a hold of his hands to stop her own from shaking. Izuku hummed in her ear, sending waves of warmth cascading over her. They laid still for a while longer. And once again they took turns comforting the other, staving off the horrors in their mind with a soft embrace. Uraraka felt strangely blessed as she turned to look at Izuku. Her hand cupped his face in an attempt to soothe him as he silently wept. "I'm so sorry, Ochaco. I didn't want to drag you into this."

"It's alright, Deku. It's alright. I woulda been involved anyway. S'what heroes do." She felt a few tears leak out and roll down her cheeks. Deku's pained expression tore her heart up. He continued apologizing, his voice quieting until all she heard were his sobs. She latched her arms around his shoulders. Ochaco burrowed her head into his chest, listening to the erratic heartbeat slowly return to normal. As much as she would have liked to just hide under the sheets with Izuku, her stomach seemed to have other plans. It growled loudly while they held each other. Izuku pulled back to look at her with wide eyes and started laughing after sharing a surprised stare with her. Ochaco's face began to warm from the musical sound coming from his throat.

"I'm - ha ha ha! - I'm sorry, Princess. That just caught me off guard. Lemme go make you some breakfast."

She yelped as he easily lifted her up, hauling Ochaco to his edge so that he could get by. It took them a few moments of flailing and giggling to get untangled. Uraraka couldn't help the smile that lit up her face. He knelt down to look at her in the eye and she wiggled her way to close in the gap. She heard his breath hitch as the tips of their noses touched. Neither pulled away. Ochaco found herself getting lost in his bright eyes. He leaned in closer, the lids of his eyes drooping the closer he got. There was an alarm going off in the back of her mind which she fought hard to ignore. It grew louder and louder until she couldn't hold it back any more.

"Deku?"

The question was innocent enough. Not even a question really. He stopped in his tracks, looking at her with a burning brilliance in his eyes. She had seen that look before. She knew that it was the same gleam in her own right now. Another inch and she would have been doomed. Instead, Izuku broke out into a smile, cupped her face, and walked off to the kitchen. Ochaco flopped back on the futon mattress with a sigh, breathing deeply to slow the hammering beat of her heart. She heard his chuckle over the sound of rummaging through her fridge.

"Not much to work with, huh?"

"What can I say? It's tough out there for us workin' folk. If I could steal like _some_ people without, ya know, all the guilt-"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. Ochaco smirked in victory, watching with a deep satisfaction as Deku got to work making them food. "Won't be much longer till it's ready, Sunflower."

They stayed like this, holed up in her apartment and sharing the futon, for two days. She was grateful that Izuku was so accommodating. He waited on her with patience and grace, giving her space when she needed. It was also a welcomed change of pace when he allowed her to reciprocate the gesture. They never crossed the unspoken line established between them; though she would have been lying if she said it hadn't been hard to play it safe. Their time together was interrupted by extended bouts of grieving and the occasional call to their coworkers. Deku was careful to take his business calls in the bathroom. Ochaco was grateful that he took the responsibility of cordoning off his lawless dealings from her.

She just wished that her own phone calls went just as quietly. At the moment, Mina's voice took on a shrill, manic quality as she tore into Uraraka.

"No calls! No texts! Only a report about what happened at that storage complex! 'Chaco, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry, Mina. Really, I'm so sorry." Ochaco could only continue apologizing in hopes that Ashido's rage would eventually dissipate. It only got worse when Deku tried to intervene. Uraraka had been on the phone for more than twenty minutes before he leaned into her face and spoke.

"Hi, Pinky. Wanted to say sorry for worrying you. Ochaco's in good hands though, so no need to -"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

It took the better part of half an hour to calm Mina down. Threats against both of their future children and a steady stream of cursing took up the majority of the call. Ochaco glared at Midoriya the whole time she was on the phone, her scowl growing deeper as he sheepishly apologized to her. "Mina, didn't Stoplight fill you in? I spoke with her a couple of times already."

"She tried," Mina sighed, "But it wasn't enough. She just said that you were ok and that you'd be taking a few days off. Really, Ocha. What the hell were you thinking?"

Uraraka kept quiet for a moment. She shared a shrug with Deku before Mina spoke again.

"Alright, fine. Just come in when you're ready, Ochaco. And tell that good for nothing Deku that if he hurts one hair on your head, I swear!"

"I'll be fine, Mina. Trust me. I've got this. See you soon." Uraraka hung up and ran a hand through her hair. She groaned, rubbing the grease on her hair between the pads on her fingers. They were both grody. Showering was the last thing on their mind when they had to contend with the horrors in their own heads. Izuku walked by the futon with a sympathetic smile. Ochaco felt a rush of gratitude towards him. While she would have a very hard time openly admitting it, Deku's presence had been an immense comfort. Something in his eyes told her that he felt the same.

"She'll be alright, Sunflower. She just needs some time to cool off." He rubbed her shoulder and Ochaco almost purred at the touch. Izuku chuckled to himself and stalked off to the kitchen. She watched him walk away, feeling a deep ache in her chest. Reality was knocking at her door and it was growing louder by the second. Ochaco knew that she would eventually have to leave the faux nest that they had built together. She'd also have to reckon with the safety she felt around Izuku. Uraraka rubbed her forehead and groaned inwardly. Mina's voice was harshly scolding her from the back of her mind. She took one more look at Deku who looked up at her. He gave her a smile which caused a strange mixture of warmth and chill running up her spine.

_I'm really in it, huh? _

* * *

Uraraka woke the next morning with a start. There was a sudden blast of icy air that coated her exposed legs. She was sprawled on her futon, half covered by the duvet. Ochaco felt her hair sticking up at odd angles. Her hand patted the empty space behind her, the cold mattress fabric sinking under her palm. She bolted up and swiveled her head about. Mid-morning light spilled through her drawn curtains, illuminating her small room in a hazy glow. She was alone. Ochaco squeaked out to the empty space. "Deku?" Silence answered her back. Uraraka frowned as she removed the bedding wrapped around her torso and stood up. She padded through her apartment looking for any sign that the past couple of days had actually happened.

A pair clunky red boots that sat in front of her door, the blue hoodie hung on the corner of her kitchen counter, hints of mint that hung in the air - all gone. She ripped away the power supply to her phone and stomped off as she checked for any new messages. Disappointment rippled through her stomach when she noticed that he hadn't sent a text or a call. The only indication that the last two days actually happened were a few cheeky texts from Mina. She rushed through her typical morning routine, opting to get ready for work in hopes that occupying her mind would distract from the ache she was feeling.

_No reason to feel like this. 'Course he'd just up and go. The hell was I thinking?_

An hour later saw Ochaco stumbling into the agency with her clunky hero case cradled under her right arm. A few of the interns waved cheerily as she passed by. Uraraka half heartedly returned the gesture as she walked to her office. She breathed out a sigh of relief as her door closed. With a sweep of her eyes, Ochaco took in her little slice of professionalism. A decent sized desk swamped with piles of paper and her desktop's monitor. Two bookcases flanked her office chair, filled with mostly framed photos of her old classmates, family, or friends. A twinge of disappointment strummed through her chest when she didn't see a brand new bouquet of flowers waiting for her. She growled at herself, annoyed that the thought crossed her mind at all. Just as Ochaco was getting ready to change into her costume, a small knock on her door announced someone's arrival.

"C'mon in, Hikari. I'm just getting changed." The door burst open and was shut just as quickly. Uraraka barely lifted her head up in curiousity when a pair of slender pink arms wrapped themselves around her midsection. Ochaco squealed in surprise and delight as Mina lifted her up in a bear hug. "Ha ha ha! I missed you too, Mina."

"Girl, you don't know how worried I was. Don't you _ever_ do that to me. Understand?" The two hugged once again in a silent agreement. Ochaco returned to changing into her hero suit while Mina kept talking. "So, what was Mido like? Was he, you know, _gentle_?"

"M-m-Mina!" The acid hero cackled and slapped her knee as Uraraka struggled to slip her arms into the sleeves of her suit. "It w-wasn't like that! Honest!"

"I know! But the look on your face was priceless. Hoo, you should _not _have given me that ammo. And, seriously? You two spent a couple of days hidden away from the world and he just so happens to be there with you when I call? Nothing happened? Nothing at all?"

Ochaco shook her head. She must have a sad, disheartened expression on her face while she did so. Mina looked at her with sympathy and gripped her shoulder.

"Ocha, I say this with all the love in the world, but why the hell not? It's been _ages_ since Bakugo. Sure, Mido isn't what I'd call a good prospect but he at least treats you better than-"

"Mina, c'mon," Uraraka interrupted. There was an edge in her voice. This was not a subject she wanted to breach with anyone. "He's a _crook_. For all of Bakugo's flaws, he is still a hero trying to better the world."

"Sure, I'll give you that. But how does he make you _feel_? And don't bullshit me. I've seen the way your eyes light up whenever you get flowers. Not to mention the way you two look at each other."

Uraraka looked up sharply from her boots, breath caught in her throat. She felt her heart palpate in an erratic pattern. _Could she really mean that? _Mina squirmed a little under her intense gaze. "What do you mean?"

"Look," Mina gasped, "It's pretty clear to anyone who's got half a brain cell. I just need to let you know: you can't save him. It's not your job. It's like you said - he's a crook. He's in too deep."

"I know." Ochaco held her helmet in her hands, examining her downcast reflection in the visor. The truth hit her hard. Deku was a villain despite his vigilante tendencies. He broke the law constantly, dealt with drug dealers and gangs that caused upsets in society. He wasn't actively making the world a better place. No matter how she felt around him - even if it wasn't reciprocated - he'd have to go down. He was just another villain.

_That's not right though. His heart is good. I've seen it. He just had a bad hand dealt to him. _

_But his choices were his own. He made his bed. He can lie in it._

Ochaco heaved in a heavy breath to ground herself. With her thoughts constantly bickering in her head, she barely heard Mina call her.

"-ot someone who wants to speak to us. Ochaco? You ok there?"

"Y-yeah. Just spacing out. What's going on?"

Mina shook her head, though not in a demeaning fashion. She urged Uraraka to walk with her. "I was saying, we have a new lead in the Yuang case. We have guest who's got some insight. He's waiting for us in the conference room."

Ochaco's curiosity thoroughly piqued, the two pros walked side by side to their conference room. Uraraka choked on her breath when they cleared the cubicles to see the clear windows of the conference room. Standing in full hero regalia was none other than Mirio "Lemillion" Togata. His well kept blonde hair with the signature cowlick seemed to gleam in the dulled office light. A smile lit up his cobalt eyes. Ochaco had always admired Mario's tenacity and grit. He worked hard to develop his quirk's abilities and now he was impossibly strong. He was the new Symbol of Peace and the current Number One Hero (much to her ex's loud mouthed, whining chagrin).

And now that same man was standing in her agency waiting to give them information regarding Yuang.

Uraraka couldn't run fast enough through the door to shake his hands. Here, now, _finally_, was a light breaking through the clouds of her moody thoughts. With Mirio on their side, they were almost guaranteed to save Yuang. They wouldn't have to rely on Izuku or his seedy connections to find her.

_And maybe, we could just cut Deku off completely. He wouldn't have to go to jail then._

She grimaced inwardly at the thought, plastering a wide grin on her face to prevent her inner world from showing up.

"Mirio! How are you?" Lemillion burst into a hearty laugh as he nearly ripped her arm out of her socket as he whipped her arm in an uninhibited shake.

"It's good to see you, Uravity! I'm doing well. How are you? Last I saw you, they were wheeling you to an ambulance."

Now she allowed herself an outward wince. It felt like a lifetime had passed since the street attack. "I've been ok. I'm sure you heard about that warehouse raid a few days ago?" Mirio nodded solemnly, his eyes closed meditatively.

"I did. Which is why I asked Pinky if I could speak to you both"

It was a few more minutes of pleasantries as they sat down. As Togata busied himself with a small briefcase on the table, Mina swiveled her head and looked around. "Say, shouldn't Hikari be here?" Mirio shook his head. Ochaco shared a look with Ashido as Mirio took a moment to explain.

"I wanted to speak to you two. _Alone_. I don't know who I can trust with what I brought in. Gotta say, it was kind of hard nailing down a time where I'd be able to speak to you without Stoplight around."

"Now, wait a minute," Uraraka growled, "Hikari is our sidekick. We trust her with our lives out there. She's also been helping with this case. I don't appreciate her being left out."

Mirio peered at Ochaco, his face unfazed. A few seconds of uncomfortable silence fell over the room as the two heroes stared each other down. Finally sighing, Mirio intertwined his hands and brought them to his forehead.

"Look, I know about Deku and Hikari doesn't. Is that enough?"

Mina took in a hiss of breath while Ochaco felt her heart stop completely. Panic flooded her limbs. She felt like her body had just been injected with lead. _He knew? _She chanced a terrified look to Mina who only gaped at Mirio dumbfounded. Uraraka cleared her throat and tried to get some clarification. "W-what d-do you me-mean? W-what about D-Deku?"

"I mean," Lemillion said slowly, "I've been where you are." Mirio dug around in the small case, closing it with a snap after he found what he was looking for. He flicked a glossy black business card toward Ochaco. Before it stopped spinning, before it even reached her, Uraraka knew who it had belonged to. With trepidation shaking her fingers, she picked it up and looked at the embossed green rabbit that grinned widely. Bile rose up in the back of her throat while Mirio began speaking again. "Trust me, it's not easy being in his pocket. I don't care what he has on you. All that matters right now is finding Yuang and bringing Deku in."

Confusion fogged Uraraka's mind. _Have something on us? What? _Mina appeared equally confused. Mirio noticed, with alarm, that they did not seem to comprehend what he was getting at. He clenched his gloved hands tightly, his lips pinched tautly as the quiet stretched out.

"Lemme guess. He isn't blackmailing you?"

"What do you mean? Are you serious? No! You've gotta be kidding!" Mina broke out into a hysterical rant, cursing Midoriya and his entire ancestry. Mirio did his best to calm Ashido down. Uraraka stoically watched the scene unfold. Her mind raced to grasp the fact that Lemillion was in Deku's pocket. It didn't compute. Nothing made sense. How could Deku have _Lemillion_? The Number One Hero was being blackmailed! Her vision turned red.

_How could I let this happen? I should have known! Once a crook, always a crook. That little bastard is going to pay. Toy with me, will you?_

She slammed her fists on the table top. The other two stopped dead in midsentence. They stared at her as she seethed in pure rage. Standing up, Uraraka grit her teeth and spat out in a venomous tone.

"Explain. Now."

Mirio took a moment to collect himself. Mina sat back down in her chair, having found herself standing halfway on the table in her rampage. Uraraka also returned to her seat. Her face felt set in a permanent frown, the skin crinkled in between her eyebrows solid like concrete.

"This isn't the first time I've seen this happen. It's really nothing to be ashamed of. I mean, Hatsume and Shield are in the same boat, too." He blanched at Uraraka's deepened fury plain on her face. She felt heat flood into her face and neck, her esophagus constricting wickedly as she lost the ability to form complete sentences. "You… didn't know, huh?"

"Just how many people does that green fuck have in his corner?" Mina asked in a gasp. Mirio winced and hung his head, abashedly twiddling his thumbs.

"So far, just the five of us. You two, Hatsume, Shield, and myself. See why I didn't want your sidekick with us today?"

"First of all," spat Uraraka, "We aren't in _anyone's_ pocket. No one's got shit on Mina or me. And he's got Mei and Melissa?! What the actual fuck! How did anyone let it get this far? How come you didn't bring his ass in before _you_ got roped in?"

"It's complicated," was all Mirio offered.

Ochaco was fit to burst. Her face was now beet red and her arms shook from restraining herself from strangling Lemillion. Luckily for her (and perhaps Togata), Mina was still in the room. Ashido looked passive. If Uraraka hadn't been so enraged, she'd have been surprised to see her partner taking the news in such stride.

Mina leaned back in her chair, hands behind her back. She wasn't casual, per se, but there was a calm about her that set off Ochaco's honed instincts. If she didn't go off on Mirio, Mina was sure about to.

"Well, you showed your hand. Mind telling us what he _does_ have on you?" Mina asked. There was poison in her words, dripping acidically through the air.

"I owed him a favor. I had just graduated and was working with Sir Nighteye. Don't know if you remember the big fight where he died?" The women nodded icily and he continued. "Yeah, I'm not surprised. It was a big deal. Leveled a whole city. Anyway. _He_ was there. If it hadn't been for Deku, I woulda likely joined Sir. Not to give him any credit, but Midoriya really pulled some neat tricks. Managed to fool the guy Sir and I were fighting. Even brawled himself a little."

"Wait, wasn't this the fight with the guy who could steal Quirks?" Mina chirped. Togata grimaced and nodded in confirmation.

"Yup that's the guy, though that isn't public knowledge. Remember, the Hero Commission told all of us to keep quiet about it and to not ask questions. I don't know what Deku did to protect himself, but he slipped away with his Quirk intact. Like I said, it was a neat bag of tricks. Anyway, he bought me enough time to form a plan and beat the guy. A week or so later, Deku approached me. Actually, it was more like he infiltrated the agency office. Got right past my sidekicks. He said he had an offer for me: be ready to fulfill a favor or risk him going public with the information about fight. Could you imagine the terror the public would have if they knew someone was out there who might steal their Qurik? What choice did I have?"

"You could have brought it to the Hero Commission!" Ochaco shouted, once again pounding her fist on the smooth, lacquered table. Mirio hung his head in shame as Uraraka continued to barrage him. "You're the top of the top! You're the best out of all of us and you're telling me that _Deku_ got the better of you? Bullshit. Everyone knows about that fight! It's not like a little extra info was gonna throw everyone into a tizzy."

"There's… It's more complicated than that. Listen, if I could tell you what else there was, I promise I would."

"And just what does Deku have on our inventor friends? Seems pretty sus' to me," Mina chimed in. She was eyeing Lemillion with disdain.

"He… he helped Melissa with her immigration paperwork. Deku manipulated and toyed with the system so that she was able to become a citizen quickly. You know how it can take years for someone to get through? He managed it in _two months_. From what I uncovered, he blackmailed and greased up a lot of politicians to get what he wanted. The way I heard it, he called in a lot of favors."

Uraraka sunk into her chair, rage dissipating into a spoiled, confused air of admiration. _Deku did that? He saved Lemillion and helped Melissa out? But why? Just of favors?_ She looked up from her thoughts and into Mirio's eyes.

"What'd he call in his favor for?" Ochaco swallowed as Mirio began to look unsure of himself. Dread crept into her limbs again, now suddenly not wanting an answer.

"He… ok so the first time he called it in, he asked me to secure him a building. It was an old block of bricks that was gonna get torn down. Don't know why he wanted it saved. The _second time_ though-"

"Mirio. A. Second. Time?!" Mina looked at her wit's end. Ochaco couldn't bring herself to be as upset. Of course Deku managed to string his favors along. Given who he was and what he did, it shouldn't have surprised her.

"He told me to take the credit for saving a bus full of people," Mirio offered lamely. Mina looked confused. Uraraka, however, recalled an incident about last year. It was a hostage situation. A bus full of travelers had been caught in the middle of a turf war on a bridge. Lemillion had been the only one to respond to the scene of the attack and saved everyone. "He knew it was happening before it even started. He told me about it and said he would help me out. I hadn't realized that he'd beat me to the bridge. Deku used some kind of knockout gas. Fogged up the whole place. I passed out within a minute of arriving. Unfortunately, he had his mask on. He woke me up and told me to take the credit. As he left, the fog was lifting. I saw the attackers conked out, lumped together in a pile. Before I knew what was happening the media had swarmed the area along with the police. Next thing I knew, I had another card waiting for me at my agency."

"Ok, so what did he call _that _one in for?" Mina demanded. Mirio shot another guilty look. _Oh no._

"He sorta asked me to save Uraraka. You know, when there was that random fight from a couple months back?"

"He… he did what?" Ochaco whispered. Disbelief flooded her. It couldn't be true. There was no way. He couldn't have!

Mirio scratched his head, clearly uncomfortable with where the conversation turned. Uraraka felt Mina's eyes fall on her, the golden eyes practically searing into her scalp.

"I thought it was weird too, but get this: it looked like he had saved you from the cave in. And then he tells me to get you outta there? He hasn't contacted me since, thankfully. I just can't help but feel that he's going to find me one of these days."

Mina groaned loudly into her hands. Ochaco took a moment to bang her head against the table. _Stupid, sweet bastard. Just _had _to save me, didn't you. _

"Ugh! Ocha, I gotta tell you. Deku's got it bad for you if this is true," Mina whined. Lemillion looked between them sharply. Uraraka felt close to slapping Mina, but managed to keep herself under control.

"Well that makes sense. In the few times that we did talk, Midoriya mentioned his love of heroes. Especially ones that helped people smile. He talked about you sometimes, Uravity. Never figured he was the touchy-feely type."

"It's really not like that," Ochaco muttered. She was quickly becoming numb to shock after shock. There wasn't anything that could possibly surprise her now.

"Anyway, how does this help us find Yuang? So Deku is connected. We figured that much. How does he actually fit in with this case?"

"I have a few theories on that. First, remember that building he asked me to help secure?" The pros nodded, feeling a bit of whiplash at the sudden change of pace. "Well, take a look at these."

He opened up his case and tossed out a few glossy photos. They spilled out on the table. Uraraka and Mina took turns rifling through them. The first few showcased the building in it's disrepair. Windows were broken or completely blown out. Next were some in-progress pictures. It was the last three that caught Uraraka's eye. The building had a gaudy marquee attached, lit by huge light bulbs that lined the outer perimeter. The kanji for "Mad Love" were etched into the plastic canvas. A string of women dressed in beautiful dresses were lined outside of the entrance. Deku could be seen walking through the front doors. One photo displayed him being greeted by a woman with ashy blonde hair. She looked positively smitten with Deku who remained neutral in the picture. The last photo showed him standing on the building's threshold, flanked by the previous woman and a much shorter one red hair parted into two long ponytails. He had a haughty, proud gleam in his eyes as he stood mid-march with the ladies linked to him arm-in-arm. Uraraka flung the pictures away from her, disgust bubbling inside of her stomach. Mirio began to explain, though she nor Mina needed him to.

"I think the reason you can't find Yuang could be down to two things. One: he already has her in his employ at this place. I checked the lease and it's in his mother's name only she's no longer with us."

"What?" Ochaco sat down again, feeling light and heady. _I thought she had gotten better. S-she died?_

"I know. What kind of low life uses his own mother's name for a smutty place like this? My only guess is that he's got some kind of record and the only way he could keep this place running was that. Second theory, which seems super unlikely, is that he still hasn't found her and is being fed bad intel. Why anyone would want to give him bad information is beyond me," Mirio finished with sarcasm.

They were silent for several minutes. Mina kept shifting her gaze from the photos to Uraraka. For her own part, Ochaco stared resolutely into the carpeted floor. She didn't want to look at anyone at that moment. If she was being honest, all she wanted was to curl up and die. Mirio's eyes were on her. She felt his intense scrutiny boring through her skull. Finally, she gave up. Ochaco stood up and marched out of the conference room. She ignored Ashido and Togata's cries for her to stop. Without thinking, her feet took her straight to her office where she slammed the door shut and locked it. Uraraka slumped against the door and stewed in her misery. No one came for her. No knocks on her door or text messages telling her to come out. Just her and the silence of her conflicted heart.

Something out of her periphery caught her eye and she looked up. Standing on her desk, which had been organized now, was an emerald vase filled with sunflowers. Ochaco pushed herself up and flew to her desk. She snatched the vase and threw it against the wall. It shattered into dozens of pieces, leaving a mess of water splattered against the painted plaster. Ochaco dropped to her knees, sobbing into the dark and lonlieness, the only company to her aching mind were the damaged flora.


	15. Dead End Friends

Ch. 14 Dead End Friends

Ochaco looked down at the darkened street with a sneer. The cracked, pockmarked asphalt was mostly empty, save for the broken down taxi that lay propped up on cinder blocks. Telephone poles with dim or burnt out bulbs littered with stapled posters lined the sidewalks; the wires crossing each other to obscure Uraraka's line of sight to the dilapidated buildings hiding in the shadows. Miles above her stake out site, the sky was nothing but a dark void tainted by the city's lights. Blinking lights sailed across the vast depth miles away, going to places that she'd much rather be.

Instead, she was sitting on the corner of a roof, vigilantly watching the love hotel known as _Mad Love_.

Towering over the area on its own island just down the street, _Mad Love_ looked more like an apartment complex than a single structure. There was just enough room for pedestrians to traverse around the triangular building. Ochaco thought it was a fitting shape; a wedge driven between the lanes of traffic and a splintering thorn that lay between her and the end of this faint outline of a fire escape hung just in sight at the very back. Atop of the roof was a water tower and several air ducts. Curtained windows littered the brickface that looked out to the splintered road, the muted light from inside spilling out through their curtains. The entrance was carved into the wide "base" of the triangle, shadowed by the overhanging floors that hung above. Double doors with ornate fool's gold trim were embedded into enterance's door frame. Attached to the curved edge was the gaudy, obnoxiously red sign that haunted Ochaco since she first saw it in Lemillion's photo. Bold, white Kanji and English text contrasted against the red sign bordered by bulbous neon tubes whose glow illuminated the decrepit street.

An intense surge of loathing swelled up in her as she looked back at the hotel. While the surrounding streets and buildings were in various states of disrepair, _Mad Love_ looked pristine. There wasn't a blemish on the building - no debris covering its narrow sidewalk. This place was everything that was wrong with the world. It was a perfect display of who won and who lost. Horrible ideas rampaged through her mind as she invented ways of how the room's occupants could have been forced into this place, and at the very center of all these problems was one person: Deku.

She slammed her fist against the roof's edge. Every time she thought back to when she last saw him brought on a wave of nausea. She had known better than to let some two-bit creep hoodwink her, yet, she had let down her guard, falling for his deceptive charm. There had been a few attempts to capture him in the last two weeks, but every idea led to dead-ends. As if to spite her, two more bouquets with his calling card arrived at her apartment which she tried to use to track him down, but somehow, all of the flower shops had miraculously claimed to have never gotten any purchase orders for her address nor did they have any copies of invoices delivered to her. Mina was currently working on questioning the flower shop's drivers; meanwhile, Hikari was working with Yonezu to patch up the rocky partnership Rainy Day had with Hosori's precinct. That was a whole other challenge in and of itself. As her team worked round the clock to find the bastard, Ochaco had decided that she needed to follow up with the one lead they had left: _Mad Love_.

In her years of training and being a pro hero, Ochaco had only heard rumors or whispers of the human trafficking rings that resided in the underbelly of Japan. Many of the crimes she had tackled were typically less sophisticated in nature as up-and-coming hacks tried to make a name for themselves. Forced prostitution was usually left to the Yakuza or other, more subtle, organized crime syndicates to deal in. Then, about five years ago, _Mad Love_ came onto the scene.

It was an instant game changer. Claiming to be a safe haven for anyone escaping trafficking groups, _Mad Love_ was run by two self-proclaimed "reformed" villains. Whole crowds of women and children that had either been assumed dead or had recently gone missing suddenly returned to their homes. Heroes and police alike were baffled by the surge of returning persons. They all spoke of a place where they had been sheltered after being rescued from their imprisonment. No names were ever given - an odd detail that had grabbed Uraraka's attention at the time - but there was an air of gratitude when the victims spoke about the owners. On the flipside, _Mad Love_ was disturbing the delicate criminal ecosystem. With people flocking to the safety that it provided, many of the remaining mob and Yakuza groups were forced to bring in other means of revenue. It hadn't escaped the Hero Commission's notice that too many people were stopping in for brief visits and leaving. Ochaco was too busy trying to found her own agency to follow through with any investigation of her own. A safe haven for those who needed rescuing sounded like a good target for Heroes and Villains alike.

There wasn't much of a profile on the two women in charge, but Mirio's intel gave her a start. The building itself was owned and leased by a shell realty group. After doing a little digging of her own, Uraraka followed a seemingly endless trail of shell companies and organizations that changed ownership of _Mad Love _until it ended at a portion of an estate bestowed to one Izuku Midoriya following the death of his parents. Ochaco thought it was _very _convenient that Deku's parents just so happened to own an abandoned building of this size. What were his parents actually like? What did they do that they could leave a plot of land to their only son? Were they even really his parents? Uraraka figured that this was more of Midoriya's influence at play but still felt burned at being kept in the dark about Deku's parents. At the same token, the very same feeling of betrayal plunged her into a self berating tirade. She had more important matters than to feel spurned by some criminal like Deku. Unfortunately, her pervasive thoughts would not leave her, so she decided to stake out the love hotel for a few days to focus on anything else other than Izuku.

Thus, she sat alone in the darkening twilight on a nearly collapsed roof with nothing but a pair of binoculars and her thoughts. Mina and Mirio had given their advice, but none of it helped. She felt useless no matter what she did. Deku's shadow loomed over her every action, marring any sense of accomplishment or progress. She felt her eyes sting up slightly, and she vigorously rubbed away the tears attempting to escape. With a growl, Uraraka stood up quickly to pace on the worn out tar. Right now, all she really wanted was some comfort and reassurance. She pulled out her phone, barely managing to stop herself from calling her parents, but her heart clenched as she failed to repress the embarrassment and shame that rose up, remembering how Midoriya had offered her just feeling. If there was someone she could rely on to give her what she really needed at that moment, it would be Asui. The phone continued to ring for a few seconds before Froppy's raspy voice greeted her.

"Hello. You've reached Asui Tsuyu. Sorry I missed your call. I'm currently deployed out to sea, but please leave me a message and I'll do my best to call you back, ribbit."

It would be another two or three months before she returned for a brief reprieve from her tour, but… even that brief moment of hearing her voice encouraged Ochaco to vent.

"Hey, Tsu," Ochaco sniffled, "It's Uraraka. Haha... I guess you already know that. Anyway, I just… I wanted to hear a friendly voice that wasn't Ashido for once. Hope to catch up soon! Love you, Tsu."

Uraraka gave the phone a bleary look as she hung up the call and stared at the time. _Is that late already? Ugh, I guess I should pack up and go home._ A blaring flash of gaudy light burst to her left. Ochaco looked up to see the lights of _Mad Love_ flashing to life. A scowl burrowed itself on Uravity's face as she took in the building's details one last time; it's light spilling out to illuminate the surrounding squallor. _Nevermind - I've got work to do._

She kept watch for half an hour more, making notes of how many visitors came, when they arrived and left (if they did), and their outfits. As she figured, many were middle aged, slightly heavy set, and had receding or graying hair cropped shortly to their skulls. The majority wore shabby suits that were pulled tautly across expanded paunches or chests. A few walked with their heads held high, but most shuffled in with a slight hunch in the shoulders; however, when everyone left, there was a noticeable new spring in their step. Ochaco gagged as she made some final observations. A very small group of four women in dresses or skirt/blouse combos walked in and hadn't left after five minutes. Her face darkened as she tapped her foot impatiently, thinking the worst had happened to them. Enough was enough; she was about to make her way down when her phone began to chime. Caught off guard, Uraraka fumbled to take the call. _Didn't think Tsu would call back so soon! Or that I forgot to leave this stupid phone on silent…_

"Hello, Tsu! It's wonderful to hear from you again!" Ochaco chirped. Unfortunately, the voice that greeted her back was not kind or raspy; rather, it sounded nasally and slick. The image of oil leaking out of a car came to her mind.

"Hello, Uravity. We haven't formally met, but I'm not Tsu. Call me Halogin."

Uraraka took a few seconds to wrack her memory, trying to conjure up where she had heard that name. He was one of those rookies that was rising through the Hero Rankings rather quickly. She remembered a brief conversation with Katsuki that touched on Halogin's potential that ended with her ex's usual condescension. She pulled herself out of her memories and apologized to Halogin.

"Ah! Y-yes, Halogin! I'm so sorry. I was expecting someone else - clearly. How can I help you? I'm off duty, but I can always reach out to Pinky or Stoplight to lend you a hand."

"No, no, Uravity," he said, his slick voice brightening up through her phone's earpiece, "I wanted to reach out to you about your current case. You're looking for Deku, right?"

She bit back a frustrated groan. If a rookie had caught wind of her search, Deku was probably miles ahead of her next step. She needed to take better care of covering her tracks. "Yeah, I am. What can I say? Once I get a target, I don't quit until they're behind bars."

"Admirable, but you're going about finding him all wrong," warned Halogin, "Not to overstep your… _expertise_, Uravity, but have you been trying to find just him or someone alongside him?" She paused, hesitating before responding. Her mind reeled at the thought that Yuang's inclusion of the case had somehow been leaked.

"Just him," Uraraka said firmly. Halogin hummed in acknowledgement.

"Right. Well, if you're looking for him by way of _his_ trail, you'll only find dead-ends. Have you tried looking for one of his victims?" That broke her resolve. Uraraka mustered up her best commanding voice and laid into the rookie.

"I'm sorry, Halogin, but what do you have to do with this case? Do you want to team up? Rainy Day would be happy to get all the planning squared away-"

"No, no, Uravity. I'm sorry, I wasn't upfront from the get-go. Let me explain: Deku was involved in an incident that was related to the recent trafficking raids you've been conducting. Several victims had been recovered, but one managed to be recaptured somehow. You might know her name: Yuang."

_Hosori,_ Ochaco thought with a chill that ran down her spine. _She must have brought in Halogin when we couldn't find Yuang. Damn it. _Halogin didn't wait for a response as he continued speaking.

"I think if you look for her, you'll find Deku."

"How do you figure?" Curiosity mingled dangerously with the frustrating that was beginning to cloud her thoughts.

"I… Look, Uravity, I'll be frank with you. I've been in contact with Captain Hosori about this missing person, and I _know_ you've been trying to trail her. The good captain wanted to make sure that Yuang was found, either by you or me. She also informed me that your recent raids were an effort to bring in Deku as well. That got me thinking: has it ever crossed your mind as to why you haven't been able to find Yuang?"

"No…" Ochaco replied slowly. She did not like where this was going, unveiling a deep fear that she had set aside from when Deku first offered to work with her.

"Well, I don't have any evidence, but my theory is that Deku is using Yuang to use _you_. See, as he dangles Yuang in front of you like a carrot on a stick, Rainy Day has been cleaning up trafficking operations from several of his competitors. Hosori and I think that he's working with the Oozer gang to monopolize the black market. First, it'll be human trafficking, then guns, and finally, drugs."

Something broke in her mind and she began to seethe. It made sense. Of course he was the reason they never found Yuang. He must have been pinning her "locations" just so that Rainy Day would sweep them out. She had single-handedly brought her agency into the hands of a masterful manipulator, and they had been played. Disgust writhed in her innards; bile rising up to burn the back of her throat. Uraraka bit back her fury in order to breathe to calm herself down.

"Look," Halogin assured her, "I know it seems obvious when someone else says something; I've been there before. Please don't beat yourself up, Uravity. We _will_ find Yuang. We _will_ put an end to Deku. The good guys will win this one. Just take some time to think over this. I'm sure you'll find some connected dots. When you do, please call me. I'd like to help bring this bastard down."

"Y-yeah… Thanks, Halogin."

"Anytime, Uravity."

With a click, the line went dead. Ochaco stared at the device long after the light had faded to preserve the battery. She looked to _Mad Love_ and felt hatred like she had never before. Without a second thought, Uraraka gently floated to the ground. She returned her gravity, stepping through the shadowed walkways. Her feet felt heavier as she got closer to the gaudy building, but her rage forced her body to press on. She was practically shaking as she reached the steps of the entrance; a few men avoided her gaze as she quaked in place. With a few deep breaths, Uraraka felt ready to press through the heavy wood doors separating her and a chance of exacting some justice on Deku's empire.

Ochaco found herself walking into a very posh foyer. Between the lush, red carpet, the marbled walls, and gold painted molding that framed the entire space, Ochaco forgot how to breathe for a moment. Opulence like this was something saved for the Todorokis', and she only ever saw it when she visited Momo and Shoto. Uraraka liked to think of herself as a working class Hero, so this kind of grandeur only served to boil her blood even more. _So, when he's not busy selling people's bodies, Deku decides to decorate his cash cow like _this_? _

A few black leather couches flanked the open space. A couple of tasteful landscape paintings hung just above the couches. At the far end was a glossy wooden desk that cordoned off three identical doors. They were wooden, framed with a grid of windows spanning their height. Standing diligently behind the desk were three young ladies: one blonde, one with blood red hair, and the last with jet black hair. As Uraraka marched closer in her approach, she saw that they were likely triplets. They each had the same elegantly slender face, piercing blue eyes, and pouting lips quirked up in a knowing smirk. At least they had their hair dyed and were wearing very different clothes from each other. Ochaco only hoped that they didn't sound identical.

"Good evening, miss," the blonde greeted in a muted, subdued tone, "How can we help you tonight?" Uraraka took a closer look at the women and blanched as she realized that they were clearly minors. She felt a snarl rise up when the ginger spoke up.

"Aren't you Uravity?" Her voice was light and more assertive than the blonde to her right. She leaned in with a soft smile, trying to get a closer look at Uraraka. _Damn it! The jig is up I guess._

"Yes, and aren't you three _minors_? I'm calling for backup right now. You're under arrest."

"There's no need to escalate things, Miss Uravity," the jet black hair child said. This one was more haughty and aggressive. Uraraka pulled out her phone quickly as she gave them a withering glare but felt her muscles seize. _Quirks. Right. _The ginger casually walked up to Ochaco's frozen form, plucked the phone out of her still hand, and taunted her with a wink.

"Sorry to make things hard for you, Uravity, but we're just doing our job. The house managers will want to speak to you now. If you would kindly follow us."

She clasped Uraraka's hand in her own. Ochaco felt her muscles go from stiff to liquid as she was guided in her forced walk toward the doors behind their desk. The other two flanked the middle door, blocking the view to where they might have led. The girl who was using her quirk on Ochaco quickly reached past her left arm to open the door. She felt the unpleasant change of liquid to stone muscles and back again as the sister changed Quirk holds on her. She was led into a tiny, unlit corridor that ended in a long flight of stairs. Their only light source was the brightness of the foyer coming through the windowed door behind them. After a minute or two, they reached an open door. Light spilled out onto the carpeted steps, warm and inviting. Ochaco would have pulled a terse, skeptical look if her body wasn't already being controlled.

The floor they had walked to was a little shabby but cozy. Worn, wood plank flooring creaked underneath their every step. Old French sconces hung on the corners, their opaque glass muting the already dim light they held within. A few portraits hung on the wall, but in particular, an oil painting of people she didn't recognize dressed sharply with permanent congenial looks on their faces caught her attention. A reading nook was carved into the wall furthest from the landing entrance. It was cushioned by what must have been a thousand small pillows and entrenched with wide windows that peered out to a small enclave down below. The girls sat Uraraka down and released their holds on her. She took a moment to adjust to feeling in control again as she formulated a plan of attack. Unfortunately, any concept of putting up a fight were dashed when all three pulled out small handguns. They pointed them in her direction with wide smiles.

"Sorry about this, Uravity. We can't have you ruining our sanctuary."

One of the three turned around and casually walked away to some hidden part of the floor. Ochaco could only assume that the girl was conjuring up their bosses. She sat glaring at them for an eternity, but eventually, the last triplet returned with two shadowed figures in tow. Compared to the girls, these newcomers were vastly different in just about every way. One was taller with their hair put up in two, noticeably messy buns. Their companion was about half their height, barely reaching just above their walked with a titanic confidence evident in their squared shoulders and assured steps. Ochaco couldn't help but wonder if this was another child that had been tossed into enslavement. The taller one stopped with a purr. All eyes moved to them as they spoke.

"Now, I didn't figure you'd show up so soon, Uravity." It was feminine voice with an edge cutting through the dulcet tones. Before Ochaco could respond, there was the flash of something glinting in the dim light, a quick breeze brushing past her face, and then a sudden stinging on her cheek. Uraraka grimaced at the unexpected pain, lifting a hand to her cheek as she looked around for what struck her. Still vibrating from being plunged into the wood so violently was a sleek stiletto knife. At the very tip dripped a dark liquid that ran down the wood grain. _Blood. My blood._

"In case you get any funny thoughts about causing a ruckus here. We've some pretty strict rules for visitors, so please, let's make everyone's life easier and not fight, OK?"

Ochaco turned back to give a spiteful glare at the new arrivals. They had come out into the light, waving the triplets down. The girls lowered their weapons and pocketed them back into their hidden holsters. Uraraka got a better view of her newest captors. The tall one who had thrown the knife had ashy blonde hair with bangs to go with the buns. She had a half sneering smile which perfectly showcased her elongated canines. Her eyes were almonds that pointed up in a peculiar angle. A permanent blush attached itself to her face. Her companion, to Uraraka's surprise, was slightly older. She had bruised wine hair with thick streaks of gray running from the edge of her scalp to the tips of her ponytails. Her eyes were gaunt and sunken, aging her otherwise youthful face even further. Both women were dressed smartly in plain white shirts under gray sports coats with matching pants.

"Go on, girls," the shorter of the two said with a smile, "We can't leave the front desk empty for too long."

"Yes, ma'am!" all three said with fake salutes. Left alone with Uraraka, the two women turned to each other briefly before the redhead introduced them.

"Excuse all of this, Uravity. I'm Aiba Manami, and this is Toga Himiko. We're the owner-operators of this fine establishment. Now, what brings a pro like yourself to our humble abode?"

"Oh cut it out, Brava," Toga hissed, "She's here because she thought that fobbie is here."

"Kind of hard to be considered a fob when she's been missing in Japan for literal months," Uraraka spat out. The other two took a moment to blink at her rash outburst before they began to cackle. "I don't get what's so funny, but if you think you can just hold me up here, you've-"

"'Got another thing coming,' am I right? Please. Spare us the heroics. You're actually free to leave if you promise to never come back. You ain't a customer, and you don't need any help."

Toga gestured towards the open staircase behind her. Uraraka didn't miss the tip of a knife tucked under Toga's thumb. Instead, she remained in her seat and stayed silent. Aiba hummed thoughtfully as she walked carefully to Ochaco. She sat gingerly next to her, as if she was an explosive that might go off anytime.

"Yeah, I can see why she's got-" Aiba started but was interrupted by Himiko.

"No. _No._ I don't care, and I don't want to talk about it. You, hero. Follow me." Toga stomped off, leaving Ochaco to exchange a shrug with Manami. They got up and walked after Himiko. A tense silence hung over them as Uraraka was led through a small path of connecting corridors. Ochaco was afraid of what could possibly happen if either she or Aiba misspoke even one word. Eventually, the three of them stopped in front of a large door with a series of heavy locks running up its right turned heel, swiveling so fast Ochaco had to fight the urge to get into a defensive stance. Himiko shoved a finger into Uraraka's face and began to chide her venomously.

"Do you know what we do here, Miss Hero? Do you have any clue? Actually, don't answer. You'll only get it wrong."

_Then why the hell did you ask?_ Uraraka thought as Himiko busied herself with undoing the numerous locks. It felt like five minutes before Toga was through with the door, finally opening it to another corridor. Ochaco flinched at the sudden, blinding light. Compared to the dimly lit office space, the hallway before her was a floodlight pointed directly at her eyes. The walls in front of her were a warm beige with accented, short hair green carpet. A few foyer tables lined hall in between the widely spaced out doors. Just within sight, after her eyes adjusted, was a smooth wood railing that signaled a nearby staircase. Muffled laughter and clinking cookware surrounded them as they pressed forward. Tasteful mirrors and full vases with assorted wildflowers eased Ochaco slightly. She bit back a snort. _Well yeah. That's the idea, 'Chaco. They're trying to keep their captives 'happy.' See how long I let that last._

Her thoughts were interrupted abruptly when they reached the guard rail that overlooked the open living space down below. Several leather couches and seats sat occupied in a circle over a worn red carpet. Cold gray tiles lined the floor underneath the rug and furniture. The occupants were a few adults and several children. Ochaco hardened her gaze as she inspected the people a little closer. For the most part, they looked healthy. Not happy, per se, but relaxed at least. They were all dressed warmly in fresh clothes. Toga spoke after Uraraka soaked in the sight for a few moments.

"Not everyone here works in the front house. Most get odd jobs cleaning hotels or something. A few try it out," Himiko thumbed back to the space they had just left, "But we don't force 'em. We take care of our own, and these are our own."

Uraraka held Toga's steady gaze. Himiko eventually got fed up and scoffed, sulking away from Ochaco. For a brief moment, she was brought back to an upscale kitchen staring down a pair of red eyes that peered out behind spiked blonde bangs. She shook off the memory when a jaunty ringtone played out from Toga's pocket. With a huff, she answered her phone, brow flat against her eyes.

"Yeah? Yeah, it's me, who else wou- _What?_ Well, you wouldn't be calling if you didn't already go through - Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way." Himiko looked past Uraraka to Aiba. "There's trouble up front, Brava. I'm going over to smooth things out. Watch _this_ one while I'm away, please."

"You got it, Toga. Just don't hurt the John too much. You remember the last time you went all out," Manami warned. Toga only rolled her eyes as she walked off.

"A little bit of paperwork did that broccoli idiot some good. It was payback anyway!" Himiko disappeared into the dark and shut the door behind her. Aiba sighed, rubbing her temples and muttered darkly under her breath.

"There was so much blood last time…"

"What was that?" Uraraka asked, barely listening as she stared out to the people down below. Aiba waved it off with a noncommittal grunt. Ochaco turned back to her with a curious glance. "So, why does she call you 'Brava?' Is that a nickname or something?"

"Kinda like how 'Uravity' is a nickname, right? It's an old name from when Toga was a kid. She just uses it because she likes it. You may call me Aiba."

An awkward pause filled the void of any conversation. They leaned against the guard rail, watching the people below in a pregnant silence. Uraraka thought about her gracious host for a moment. Aiba was really the first person in this place that seemed reasonable, but she was still a _Madame_. Uraraka couldn't condone the activities here despite her reassurance that everything here was consensual. It wasn't. It _couldn't_. How could people willingly engage in this work when they were captives. Ochaco bit back the bile and venom that rose up as she mulled over the situation more. She must have been shaking with rage. Aiba gave her a quick glance and took a step away. Uraraka exhaled a shuddering breath in a poor attempt to calm herself down.

"Can I ask you a question?" Aiba chuckled and turned to face her.

"You may ask another one." Uraraka rolled her eyes and turned about, leaning her back against the wooden rail. Her body felt stiff and worn. She was tired, but the faster she could wrap this case up, the sooner her life could go back to normal.

"Where's Deku fit in all of this? Does he take a cut or something?" She tried to stop herself but an invasive thought just escaped her lips. "Does he use the workers as compensation?"

Aiba blanched, her mouth downturned in disgust. Her face turned almost as red her hair. Ochaco stayed in her relaxed position. Her training had drilled into her to not escalate a situation when civilians were too close for combat. She also needed information from Aiba, and she'd never get it if they were busy fighting.

"He - You! - Argh! What the hell is wrong with you? Is this all just a sick game to you?" Uraraka did her best to keep her body relaxed but the sting of Manami's outburst caught her off guard.

"Me? What's wrong with you? I'm just trying to bring that asshole in."

"That's really nice, name calling. Classy," Aiba spat out, "You don't know him at all if that's what you think he's doing. For your information, he _donated_ the building to us, but because of our backgrounds, it's still in his name. He's never been arrested, so he doesn't have a record."

_Huh, that's why my first couple of searches came up empty… _Uraraka thought to herself. Manami took a second to calm down, straightening her hair with an aloof touch.

"Look, if you want to know how he fits into all of this, then you better get ready for a long story. I can't tell you Toga's, and this all really does start with her."

"What starts with me?"

Uraraka and Aiba jumped out of their skins. Ochaco let her instincts kick, throwing a wild kick out behind her. Toga latched onto her foot and tugged hard, bringing Uraraka down. Slightly dazed, she looked up to Himiko who had a sneer full of hatred in her eyes. Aiba was waving off the sudden explosion of noise, placating the weary residents down below. Toga flung Ochaco's foot out of her hands and stomped away. Manami stopped her with a gentle touch to her wrist.

"Toga?"

Himiko heaved in a deep breath and blew out through her nostrils, shoulders rising with the action. She slowly turned around and it was all Ochaco could do to go back into "fight mode." Toga's sports coat was ruined. The stitching on her right shoulder was stretched open, revealing her bare shoulder. Her once immaculate blouse was now stained red. There was a sickly gleam to some spots. Her knuckles, Ochaco observed, were bruised and bloodied. Her face sported a nasty shiner and cut lower lip. Aiba started to dote on Himiko who obliged her by sliding down to rest sitting against the guard rail. She began to explain that most of the staining was actually wine. There was only a little blood, most of it her own. The John was drunk - naturally - and thought he was getting ripped off. He started making a commotion which was when Toga had been called to intervene.

"I was already in a pissy mood, no thanks to Miss Hero, so that didn't help. He didn't wanna talk and neither did I. I roughed him up, but as you can see," Toga pointed to her eye, "He got a few good licks in himself. He got tossed out though. Our accountant took care of that."

"Oh Toga!" Aiba whined, "I should have gone down for you. I'm so sorry you got hurt."

"Eh. It's not big deal. This isn't the worst I've come out of a fight. Now, what were you two talking about?"

Manami hesitated, blanching for a moment before turning to Uraraka. Her eyes were pleading but Ochaco ignored them. She pushed herself up to sit on the ground. They were all level now and her hope was that Himiko would be open to talking.

"I was asking about Deku. What's his part in all of this and what does he get out of it."

Toga held Uraraka's even gaze. They were sizing each other up, searching for something - a weak link, an opening. For a few seconds, Ochaco thought she wasn't going to get anything, but Himiko closed her eyes and took in another breath.

"You really wanna know, huh? That obsessed with him?" Before Uraraka could protest, Himiko stood up and offered a hand to Ochaco. "C'mon. It's a long story, and I need a drink to tell it. Let's go, Brava."

They marched quietly back into the dimly lit halls. Toga made sure to tightly secure the door to the residential area before leading the way. After a few moments, they entered a dusty office space. It was dark with a large desk in the back with an uncomfortable looking chair behind it. Two smaller, matching chairs faced the desk. Flush against the right wall was a large cabinet that Toga tore into immediately. She poured everyone a glass as Aiba business herself with getting the room more lit. This consisted of sifting through a desk drawer for candles and matches.

"Oh great, just what I need: mood lighting," Toga joked as she knocked back her amber liquid in one gulp. Uraraka took a sip of her own, after thanking Toga for offering it. Himiko propped herself on the desk with a sigh. "Oh where, oh where to begin. I guess when I first met the jackass."

She took another swig of her drink and began to tell her story.


	16. Twist the Knife

Ch. 15 Twist the Knife

"The thing you need to know about that jerk," Toga began after another swig of her whiskey, "is that he wasn't always so done up. When I first met him, he was just this grungy little shit that was ready to fight anyone who was taller than him."

"Which was just about everyone," Brava added. Toga was three drinks in now, and she was still pouring another. Uraraka was still sipping away at her first and waited for the blonde woman to start telling her story.

"Haha! Right! He was like a chihuahua that barked anytime someone so much as looked at him. Anyway, I first met that lovable prick about ten years ago. Maybe a little bit more. You remember the viral video from the hero killer, Stain?"

"Vaguely. There was some chatter amongst my teachers that Stain must have had a sidekick recording it," Uraraka gave. She remembered accidentally eavesdropping on Eraserhead and Present Mic speaking about Stain in hushed tones about a year into her time at U.A.

"Yeah, take a guess who that sidekick was? That's right: Izuku. When Stain got super popular, every edgelord and wannabe gangster came out lookin' to join his mission. A guy named Giran pooled a few of them together with the promise of meeting the big guy."

"Wait.. I think I know that name. Wasn't he a big underground powerbroker?" Ochaco asked. Toga nodded and poured out another shot for Aiba.

"That he was, princess. He took us to this warehouse and had us stay low for a while. All of us had, uh, already done some stuff on our own. The pigs were on the hunt and that was the safest way for Stain to meet them, he said. The next day, Giran brings in a new kid to stay with us. This scrawny kid holding up a sword. I don't remember them all that much, except for _him_. He was banged up. Blood stained, bruised, burned, scarred, a few broken bones - you name it, he had it. He. Was. Hot! "

Toga took a second to stare off into the distance with a slightly crazed smile. Uraraka darted her attention to Aiba who only shrugged.

"Soooo yeah... I took a deep shine to your boy toy instantly. He was standoffish and a little bit of a prude, but I was ready to—"

"I feel like we're getting off track. How does Stain lead up to this place?" The less she heard about... whatever intimate stuff... happened between Toga and Izuku, the better. A brief image of his arms wrapped around her own waist as they silently cried popped into her mind. Uraraka held back a cringe.

"I'm getting there, princess. Patience. Where was I? Oh, right. So, Izuku is brought in and we hang out but it's another, what, two months before Stain would show up?" Aiba nodded encouragingly at her partner.

"Skip to the part where I care, Toga," Ochaco warned. Himiko rolled her eyes and refreshed everyone's drinks despite no one having imbibed for a minute.

"Spoilsport. A couple of months fly by. Izuku was acting very weird in the days leading up. He kept dodging everyone and wouldn't talk to them. He… he pulled me aside and warned me not to go meet Stain. Swore up and down that it was a trap. I almost didn't believe him, but he gave me an offer. He'd give me what I had been after for two months, but I had to leave with him, then and there." Uraraka cut her off before Toga could go into any further details.

"Turns out, Izuku was right. Apparently, Giran had led everyone to the big meeting. As they were waiting for Stain, a big group of cops and pros raided the complex. From what I heard, some big names like Ingenium and Endeavor were there. No one escaped. Izuku and I were on a train to Hosu by the time it happened."

Uraraka squirmed in her seat. Something about the whole thing was very strange. She remembered speaking to her classmates when she first got to U.A. Iida was proudly announcing that his brother was amongst the raiding party. Though he was heavily injured, Ingenium had fought valiantly at the side of All Might.

"How'd Deku know what was happening?" Himiko gave Ochaco a sad smile, hugging herself a bit as she drank slowly from her glass.

"He set it all up. Izuku, well… he wasn't suited for the streets, so he lied about Stain needing more resources to continue his crusade."

"So, Deku set them up so that he could sit behind a desk?" Uraraka almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. Questions rumbled around in her mind as she tried to make sense of it. _Was his Quirk weak, or was he just looking for something more cushy? Was it the money?_

"Basically, yeah," Toga answered, "Afterwards, he set up an actual meeting with Stain, and I spent the next three years there. Izuku spent that time learning the trade. He got really good at it too. He would help us find our next targets. We sorta did his dirty work, eliminating any competition or heroes who stuck their nose where it didn't belong."

"After all that is when _we _stepped in," Brava piped up. Ochaco hiked an eyebrow at the small redhead.

"I was with the one and only Gentle Criminal. He was… he was everything I ever wanted. He saved me from me. Pulled me out of the dark. I would have followed him into hell, but instead, we had to pay a visit to Deku. See, Gentle was in a bit of money trouble. Couple of bad bets had everyone and their mother after his hide. I tried keeping him safe, but it was getting harder by the day - especially since he wouldn't stop vlogging our location. So, we turned to this kid who could handle anything. People kept saying he could work miracles if you had the cash to pay. We didn't have any money, but we were desperate for a miracle."

"And he asked for a favor?" Aiba nodded, her eyes not meeting Uraraka. The pro downed her drink in one gulp and held out the empty glass to Toga. She blinked before refreshing Ochaco's drink.

"Apparently, there was some trouble with a supply interruption. He asked if Gentle could help him negotiate something between the gangs, with the promise that Gentle's debts would be forgiven if they succeeded. While that was happening, I'd be doing some busy cyberwork for Deku. During that time, I met Toga here."

"You were so cute back then, Aiba," Himiko chirped, smiling genuinely for the first time, "Well, Izuku wasn't as happy to see me. Must've thought he had more time away from me. So me and Aiba got to talking while we waited for those two to come back, and one thing led to another-"

"Let's just say that we got _real_ close," Brava interrupted. There was a blush on her face as she looked at Himiko who only drank quietly with a smug expression. Toga took a moment to refresh Aiba's glass and started speaking again.

"Right, so Izuku took over Giran's job and did a better job than the old guy ever dreamt of. The cops and pros had their wheels greased, and the rest of us could do what we needed to."

"That was until one of his outings with Gentle," Aiba had her eyes fixed on the drink in her hands and grew quiet again.

"By this point, Izuku had taken quite the shine to Gentle. Even started dressing like him. So, Izuku and Gentle go out to calm down a turf dispute; only, it doesn't go according to plan. They were actually fighting over the very ground we're standing on. Gentle came back carrying a bloody, hardly-breathing Izuku. Apparently, they hadn't been aware of what _exactly_ the dispute was over. When Izuku found out, he went full berserk and just about massacred everyone in the room. Left them all in a big bloody mess. That put a big target on his back."

"Deku had a plan, though." Aiba had finished her drink and picked up telling the story. "Well, he had a room of bookshelves filled with notebooks. I guess he was paranoid and wrote up a million contingency plans. None of them were fully realized, though. Toga and I tried to piece together something that could save us all.

"Gentle would take the blame for the botched talks, Stain would kill anyone who came near him, and that would be it. Only that didn't happen."

Aiba took the decanter from Toga's hands and poured out the remaining contents into her glass. "Stain didn't like that he was being taken away from his mission. His crusade was more important. I argued with him, begged him to help defend Izuku, but Stain didn't like having deadweight."

"So he attacked and Gentle intervened?" Uraraka felt so close to solving a part of Deku's mystery.

"No, Deku killed Stain." Ochaco spat out her whiskey, the top of her mouth burning from the strong alcohol. Toga had said it just so casually. How many people had they murdered that she could be so casual about taking a person's life? "When Stain had me and Aiba cornered, Izuku… I-Izuku stopped him. He looked so sad but so so angry. Deku killed one of his father figures for us. I… I'm still not sure why he did it. " Toga fell silent. Her arms dropped to her sides as she stared off again. The glassy look in her eyes forced Uraraka to turn away.

"That solved all of Deku's problems, though. Kill a big enough shark, and all the fish in the sea will fear you; even scared the people above the water. After helping out Lemillion in some secret fight, Deku had enough favors to secure this place. They were gonna tear it down, build a shopping mall or something, but he made sure that the building was done up again, bigger and better. Deku put us in charge of the place. Told us we were gonna save lives."

"Ok, so that's it? Deku kills the Hero Killer, scares the hell out of the world, and then what? Opens this brothel up? What for?" Uraraka started feeling the effect of her drink. There was a vein on her forehead pounding, and she felt small waves of nausea hit her stomach. It was getting harder to concentrate.

"Deku and Gentle had a shared vision to give these people a safe haven to earn money without being afraid of what would happen if they didn't make enough that night. Thus, _Mad Love_ was born."

Aiba gave her a mirthless smile. In their silence, the dim light played with the shadows cast around the room. Uraraka's head was pounding. Something had to be in the drinks.

"What happened to Gentle? Is he still around?" Toga and Brava shared a sad look, not speaking for a few seconds.

"Gentle… He…" Aiba couldn't finish her sentence as she broke out into hushed sobs. Toga rushed over and held the short woman.

"It was one of their raids after we opened _Mad Love_. There was a gang near the docks that was suddenly getting bigger. Izuku wanted to know how, and sure enough, it was human trafficking. We fought back, but they weren't the only ones there that day. There were a few cops, a couple of heroes, and the gang all waiting talking about an incoming shipment. Izuku made a move but… We didn't even get to bury Gentle. There wasn't much left _to_ bury."

Uraraka raised a hand to her open mouth, covering up the shock on her face. Aiba began to wail as Toga rocked her gently. Someone had died for Deku. They believed in him enough to die for him. It seemed like it was all a bad dream, the impossibility of it all crashing around her. There was something about the whole thing that was bugging her.

"Did… Did Deku ever say who was there when Gentle saved him?" Toga shook her head, bangs flowing in the air. Uraraka figured as much. Things could never be easy, not when Izuku was involved.

She stayed with them for a while longer, not really sure if she could comfort the ladies. Brava's mascara was smeared, and her eyes looked dark and sunken. The redhead excused herself and left to clean up. Toga ran a hand through her hair, straightening up as she stood. Uraraka watched her carefully and bit her lip.

"Toga, what happened between you and Deku? No details, but… just what happened?"

"You happened, princess," Toga whispered. Ochaco frowned. Until the last six months or so, Izuku wasn't a part of her life. How could she have disrupted their situation? "Ok, that's not really fair to say. His heart was never really in it, ya know? He… he always loved heroes. The real ones. Me, Stain, and Izuku always could sniff out the phonies from the true blue pros. After he dealt with Stain, I think I really fell for him. How couldn't I? Sure he didn't just save me, but I just couldn't help myself.

"I gave him everything because he gave _me_ everything. I never had to worry about where I was going to sleep or when my next meal would be. He treated me with respect. We… were even each other's… but he couldn't. Izuku always wanted something more, and I couldn't keep up. I never knew what he was looking for until he met you. I can't explain it. Since you came into his life, there was just something different."

Ochaco furrowed her brow, but Toga never elaborated. It wasn't possible. Deku was just putting on an act. He would only survive by playing the lead in a neverending show.. Uraraka refused to accept it. _Fool me once…_

"Hey princess. Can I give ya some advice, girl to girl?" Toga wasn't looking at Uraraka, focused on the candle flame dancing in front of her. Ochaco didn't like how she sounded. There was a simmering quality to her voice that warned the pro. She tried to not make any sudden movements as she responded.

"Not sure you'll listen if I say no, so go ahead."

"Do yourself a favor: don't chain your feelings to a sinking ship. You'll only break your own heart. I know he…" Toga's sleeve barely muffled a sniffle as it darted across her eyes. " I know you're what he wants and needs, but you're too far outta reach. Don't hurt yourself tryin' to pull him out of this shit. You can't save people who don't want to be saved."

They stayed quiet after that. Uraraka bit her lip as she mulled over Toga's warning. A heaviness engulfed Ochaco as her mind went to war. Try as she might, she kept coming back to a single phrase. _I love him._ It frightened her with how much of a thrill she got from the very thought. A pair of footsteps approached them, pulling her out of her reverie. Her ears perked up as they got closer.

"Himi, I ran over the numbers, and I think we can start that expansion you've been talking about." Izuku walked into the room, standing behind Ochaco. He made a confused noise. "Himi, I didn't realize you had company. Sorry, I'll be-"

"Deku," Uraraka commanded, "You and I need to talk."

She turned in her chair to look at him. His face was bruised and scraped up; his usual pristine clothing was rumpled and disheveled. Deku stared at her with a gaping mouth. He tried to compose himself, but she didn't get the chance to stop him before Toga stormed up to him, pulling him in for a whisper. Ochaco didn't catch what was said. Whatever it was, Deku managed to smooth out his face as he looked at her.

"Try not to have too much fun without me, princess." Himiko sauntered off into the dark hallway and disappeared. Izuku took a moment to swallow and motioned for Uraraka to sit. She did so as he pulled up a chair.

"Been a while, Sunflower."

"It has."

Izuku looked confused, conflicted. He was wringing his hands and darting his eyesight on anything but her. Despite everything she had just learned, despite knowing he was a killer, Ochaco felt comfortable around the criminal sitting before her.

"S-so, you wanted to talk?"

"I did. Midoriya, why did you choose me? Why drag me into this mess, get yourself involved, rather than doing literally anything else?"

"I-I couldn't stop myself. I never wanted this… never wanted to drag you to society's underbelly . I'm sorry."

Ochaco hummed. Izuku twiddled his thumbs as he tried to keep a straight face and failed. In a way, it was adorable and so honest of him to be open for once. The same thought struck her again. It was time to clear the air between them.

"Izuku," she started in a quiet tone, "I'm going to ask you something and I need you to tell me the truth." Ochaco breathed in deeply, closing her eyes for a moment. Izuku squeaked out as he waited for whatever was coming.

"Do you love me?"

He didn't answer right away. Izuku sighed and hung his head, burying his hands into the forest of green hair on his head. "I really don't think you want that answer, Sunflower."

"Yes I do. Now, answer me."

Izuku's head snapped up, a pout on his face that almost made her laugh out loud. Uraraka was surprised that she didn't burst right then and there. Instead, she bit her lower lip and waited for him to answer. He stood up and began to pace around, hands wringing over each other. The longer he took to respond, the worse her dread began to feel.

"Sunflower, the fields we manage are a bit too different."

"That's not what I asked, Izuku," she retorted curtly. He seemed taken aback by the bite in her words. He stepped up to her and knelt down to look her in the eye. Izuku was searching for something in her eyes, though she couldn't say what.

" While you keep the streets clean, I'm just a humble garbage disp-"

"That's _not_ what I asked, Izuku! It's a simple yes or no question. Do, or do you not, love me?"

He took her hand, squeezing it gently. The world was drowned out by the blood rushing through her ears. She noticed that Izuku had tears of his own as he tried to speak.

"Sunflo- _Ochaco, _I-"

"Yes, Izuku?"

"I can't- We just can't…"

The room grew quiet once more. Uraraka searched his face, looking for any cracks or flinches. He gave none. She nodded, got up, and made to leave. Izuku reached out to her, but the cold look in her eyes stopped him. Ochaco walked out and made her way back home, leaving Izuku behind in that candle lit room.


End file.
